Hangover
by Shedauwz
Summary: "It's funny how everything worked backwards. Life itself was like one big hangover. Everything was screwed to hell. But then it got better. I became drunk on life again. Sure, there may have been some bullshit, we had our ups and downs, but I managed to soldier through it and wake up sober. You know how? She was my tequila this time." College!AU. SnarkyAF!Natsu and generally OOC.
1. Chapter 1

_**A/N:** Dauwz comin' at'cha with a new story that's sure to blow your socks off. Oh God, that sounded so damn horrible. Anywho, before anyone begins reading this, I **stress** that this story will have some incredibly foul language, which is part of the reason why it's rated M. The other part of said reason? Heheh.  
_

 _Yeah, this will turn lemony. Eventually._ _Also, this will gradually get dark. A dark that the setting permits, anyway. Whatever, hope you enjoy the read._

 _Do review if you liked it. Or, well, didn't. Doesn't matter. It keeps me motivated, whether it's hate or love._

* * *

 ** _Hangover_**

* * *

"Oh God damn it."

He was going to die.

He knew it.

He just knew it.

He was finally going to bite the dust.

And from what?

A damn hangover.

"Never again am I entertaining the thought of partying on a Wednesday."

He coughed.

Almost puked on himself, honestly.

"Fucking idiot."

His head pounded and spun. His stomach churned, making him feel nauseous. Hell, his hands shook like they had been subjected to sub-zero temperatures for years. And of course his throat had to feel like the damn Sahara desert, regardless of the fact that he had drank over three gallons of water already.

He swore he hadn't had one this bad since his freshman year. And that was one hell of a year.

"Natsu?" A voice called the pink haired man, his head slowly jerking to look up at the person who called him, his eyes squinting as the light in the lobby invaded his private space. He couldn't help the growl that escaped him due to this, and he wondered if he looked like an animal on the verge of death, or just a random hobo angry with everything that was life.

"What?" He barked, feeling his headache intensify. He managed to make out a mop of short white hair, big blue eyes staring back at him with amusement, curiosity and what seemed to be a small tinge of worry that he was all too used to seeing.

"You look like crap." The female voiced out, her voice seeming much too amused for the Dragneel's liking, though there wasn't much he could do about it given his situation. He'd probably just end up hitting the ground face-first since he was obviously in no condition to even stand.

"And my breath stinks as though a group of skunks had an orgy in my throat. What else is new?" He grumbled with a roll of his eyes, rubbing his forehead as he blinked a couple of times, trying to make his eyes adjust to the annoying lights around him and regain his bearings, "What do you want, Lisanna?"

"The heck did you do yesterday?" The girl questioned, though she didn't really need an answer considering this was really not the first time she'd seen him in such a sorry state. She then fished out a couple of pills out of her bag and handed it to the guy together with a bottle of water, "Aspirin." She said, some color returning to the pinket's face as he nodded eagerly.

"Thanks." He said with a gurgle as he swallowed the pills and chugged down on the water provided. He then crushed the plastic bottle in his hand and later threw it over his shoulder and right into the trash bin, smirking slightly when he hit his mark, _still got it_.

Lisanna, on the other hand, simply frowned, "Hey, I was going to keep that bottle."

"I don't care." He stated absentmindedly before standing up and stretching. He then groaned, supporting himself with a hand to the wall as he still felt like he was on some obnoxious merry-go-round, "Mavis, I feel like someone threw me into a blender together with Gray and fucking Loke and just laughed at my misery."

"Yeah, well, you definitely look like you've been in a war or something."

"That's what they keep telling me. And I swear that's what it was." He sighed, realizing that he hadn't exactly picked the best outfit for this weather. He was sporting a simple black T-shirt, a dark gray-ish hoodie, the hood remaining draped over his head loosely. He also wore white tight-fit sweatpants and red Jordan high-tops.

And it was raining like a motherfucker today. Combined with a wind that made him wonder if they called a typhoon warning on the news

"I just… yeah, I woke up today, feeling like complete crap, looked at my jeans and other shit I'd normally wear and just noped the fuck off. Not today."

The white haired girl chuckled at his antics, figuring it was just like him, "Come on, we've got class."

"Fucking political economy."

They talked for a bit as they made their way to class, Natsu explaining to her how he ended up going to a bar with Cana, Bacchus, and some other idiots those alcoholics called friends. He was only there to talk to the bartender because she had promised to help him with a certain project but he ended up drinking with them. Being a heavyweight that could hold his liquor with the best of them, Natsu managed to keep up.

Until the Jager bombs started, of course.

And the tequila.

 _And_ the Absinthe.

He was pretty sure he almost had sex with Cana after that.

 _Holy Earthland._

Lisanna just laughed at his misery as he plopped down on one of the chairs in the classroom lazily, his limbs sprawling into every direction as his eyes avoided every light source like it was an STD. A whole hive of them. Natsu groaned in annoyance when someone poked him in the shoulder from behind, and he swore he would've elbowed the guy square in the face if he had any energy to spare. Hell, if he had any energy to even survive.

" _No._ " He fired with a harsh breath, not even bothering to look back at the chuckling Gray behind him.

"Had a bit too much yesterday, eh, pinky?" The brunet sitting behind him smirked to himself, finding Natsu's whole predicament amusing as he had already talked to Cana on the phone who… let's just say was still drunk and was extremely _enamored_ with his _size_ , something Gray really didn't want to know.

"How about you go fuck yourself, stripper?" Natsu growled out, feeling annoyed by his longtime friend.

"I'm not a goddamn stripper!"

"Oh yeah? I don't even need to turn around to know you already lost your shirt."

"Gray! Clothes!" Lisanna hissed when she was curious enough to check if what Natsu said was true, the aforementioned pinket chuckling to himself knowingly as he heard Gray curse under his breath, muttering a quiet _not again!_ to himself as he searched for his top. _Typical._

Natsu's brows furrowed as he realized the professor finally entered the rather small classroom. He groaned to himself quietly, pulling his hood over his head a bit more before closing his onyx orbs, figuring he'd try getting some shut-eye as he ignored the usual pointed glare from the older female. He leaned back in his seat and made himself comfortable, something he'd gotten really good at doing on these godawful chairs over the years.

 _Okay, so that's not happening_.

The pinket sighed to himself after several minutes, realizing that his head was spinning way too much to even think about sandman's land. He grabbed his phone out of his sweatpants' pocket and quickly went to _Facebook_ , scrolling along his news feed in the hopes of finding something remotely amusing to pass the time. _Kim Kardashian has now- no, fuck off._

Dragneel continued scrolling just to scroll, finding that it was honestly better than seeing Kim's ass again which, frankly, by this point was something probably even his four-year-old neighbor had seen. Numerous times. _Goddamn attention-whoring trash._ Eventually he stopped at a post that checked them into _Eclipse_ at 1:34AM yesterday, _well, today, technically._ The post stated _on to our 26_ _th_ _shot, still going strong!_ , written by Bacchus. He noticed that he was among the five people tagged, and his finger _really_ itched to untag himself.

But then again he didn't really care enough to go through the trouble. Not now.

Quickly closing _Facebook_ , the pink haired man turned to _9GAG_ for amusement. However, he quickly realized that wasn't going to work either since he had already looked through most of the funny posts already. The rest were either some motivational crap or sob stories from guys who kept using the forever alone moniker.

 _The world hates me today._

His eyes scanned the classroom as he yawned, his breath hitching when his gaze set upon a certain big-chested blonde who was doodling on her notes absentmindedly. A small smirk made its way to his lips as he opened up _Messenger_ on his phone.

 _Natsu Dragneel: Sup, blondie?_

Natsu had to force himself to suppress a howl of a laugh when her phone rang as she got the message, the blonde being startled before muttering a quiet _sorry_ to the professor who seemed annoyed by the noise, having repeatedly attempted to implement her _phones on silent!_ rule. He then saw the blonde in question turning her phone's sound off before she tapped away at the screen, smiling ever so slightly, the action piquing his curiosity.

His phone buzzed.

 _Lucy Heartfilia: Nothing much. You?_

 _N: Trying to not die. Hasn't been going so well._

 _L: What do you mean?_

As he tried explaining without making any typos – failing miserably, by the way – he thought back to what made him think Lucy was so interesting. They had done a project together for Political Economy where they had to visit various homeless shelters - don't ask how that makes sense, he didn't know himself. The two of them knew each other before that, often hitting each other up over papers and other shit during their freshman year, but they never really got the chance to properly talk – mostly because she was busy with academics and Natsu was either playing basketball or just killing time at bars with his 'bros'.

His stomach twisted at the thought of Gray being one of those.

The two of them somehow clicked, which was beyond his understanding since they weren't exactly alike in any way imaginable, and they hit it off easily enough. He'd started messaging her on a regular basis just to mess with her recently and, to his surprise, she didn't exactly mind it.

Hell, she was smiling most of the time she talked to him.

And Natsu found that _very_ enticing, strangely enough.

 _N: MASSIVE hangover. Mavis, I think my liver is failing._

 _L: So you got drunk yesterday. Big surprise._

 _N: What's that supposed to mean?_

 _L: Absolutely nothing~ :p_

Natsu's onyx eyes went from his phone to inspect the blonde, noticing how her smile grew even wider, a quick and amused breath leaving him.

 _N: Yeah, our resident alcoholics tricked me into doing a shot war with them. It was… it was bad._

 _L: Cana and co.?_

 _N: Exactly. Those same dumbasses that thought asking the Dean out for a drink was a good idea._

 _L: He outdrank them, right?_

 _N: Horribly. Erik still has nightmares about taking_ that _drunk a Cana home._

He heard a quiet chuckle, the sound making _him_ smile, even though he was feeling thoroughly done with life by that point.

 _N: Anywho, keep smiling, it makes me feel better._

 _N: Though I feel weird staring at you._

 _N: Like a fucking stalker._

The next reply didn't come for a while as he noticed she was taking down some notes. His brow twitching, he tapped at his phone.

 _N: Smile, damn it._

Lucy checked her phone, her head slowly turning to him to give the nicest grin he'd ever seen. Both of them chuckled to each other before she went back to her devices. And Natsu was glad she did because he swore he would've had the most massive blush on his face if it hadn't been for the hangover.

 _What the fuck?_

 _N: I'm tempted to scare the living shit out of you by whispering "smile" in your ear in a scary way. I'm weird when I'm hung over._

 _L: I can feel that._

The pinket grinned.

 _N: No, you can't. Not yet. :p_

She chuckled again.

 _L: Come on you drunk._

 _N: Ayyyyyy, I'm not drunk. I'm half-dead. There's a difference, okay?_

 _L: Okay :D_

Seconds later his phone buzzed again.

 _L: I already had one person with a hangover sit next to me in Local Civ History. The stench was horrible. Vodka and something else, making_ me _feel_ _drunk._

 _N: Well boohoo. Guess it's a good thing I didn't come sit next to you. You'd have died of alcohol poisoning._

 _L: Natsu Dragneel not taking the chance to make me suffer? What happened?_

It was his turn to chuckle this time.

 _N: I'm not_ that _bad of a person. Well… sometimes. But not always. I swear._

 _L: But you like to make fun of me a lot though._

Natsu didn't know what the heck had gotten into him, but he so quickly typed up the next message and sent it with so much confidence that it even scared him.

 _N: Only because you smile when I do._

 _Shit,_ he cursed under his breath before his eyes stole a peak towards the blonde haired woman. His onyx orbs widened when he noticed her leaning back into her chair, trying to hide a blush behind the collar of her jacket.

 _N: Holy shit, you blushed._

 _N: That's so cute._

 _L: Natsuuuuuu!_

 _N: What? : D_

 _L: I don't blush!_

 _N: Bullshit._

 _L: Seriously._

 _N: Okay, challenge accepted then : D_

 _L: What?_

 _N: Exactly what I said._

 _L: …what?_

 _N: I'm taking your words as a personal challenge to make you blush._

 _L: I like challenges, I guess…_

 _L: Wait, no. I mean you like challenges. Yeah, you. Not me. You._

Natsu chuckled.

 _N: Yeah, whatever you say, blondie._

The pink haired male sighed tiredly as he leaned even further back into his chair, almost lying on it by this point. His head had suddenly started spinning even more, and he was pretty sure he was about to empty the contents of his stomach all over the sorry sod sitting in front of him.

That or he'd just turn to Gray.

Yeah, that sounded like the better option.

Shaking his head to get out of his weird alcohol-induced stupor, he picked up his phone again and went to _Messenger._

 _N: I love how composed you are even though it seems as though I'm stalking you with the way I keep staring._

He saw the smile on her lips grow.

 _L: I'm just trying to look chill because I'm sitting alone in the first row. : D_

Now that he thought about it, she _was_ sitting alone. He'd often notice it, but he never really paid any real attention to it. Why was she by herself all the time, anyway?

 _N: …which looks so damn sad, by the by._

 _L: But I don't really care, so whatever : )_

 _N: And you really shouldn't._

Natsu bit his lip slightly, feeling awkward now. Thinking to change the topic, he punched in another message, which honestly made no damn sense.

 _N: So you're one of those cool chicks._

 _L: …what do you mean? Because I don't have friends? : D_

 _Goddamnit woman,_ Natsu knew she was joking by the way she kept smiling, but he still felt somewhat out of place talking about it. Like it wasn't his business to know, _which it really isn't_.

 _N: You're that "I don't give a flying duck, I look awesome" type._

 _L: Duck. The struggle is real._

 _N: Fuck auto-correct._

 _L: Yeah._

 _N: I would pretend that it wasn't auto-correct and was on purpose, but I sick at lying._

 _N: Suck, samnit._

 _L: Hahaha._

 _N: AAAAAAAAARGH_

A certain idea popped into his head. Now, normally, he wouldn't be so nonchalant about it since, well, he wasn't drunk. It wasn't that he lacked confidence, but more so he had some form of tact and subtlety. Being hung over was somehow helping him with his confidence, though.

He reckoned it was because the list of "what I give a fuck about" was so damn small during a hangover.

 _N: Anyway, I remember you didn't really want to hang with your roommate's parents on Saturday, right?_

 _L: That's why I'm most likely to go home._

Natsu scowled slightly at this. "Home" for Lucy was out in Bosco. Granted, it wasn't too far away - about a four hour drive - but he didn't exactly have a car, and, hell, him showing up at her doorstep so out of the blue would have been weird to begin with.

 _N: Awww, and here I wanted to ask you out for coffee._

Moments passed – nothing. Not even that annoying "seen" notification. He stole a glance at her, puzzled, and she caught his gaze. She pointed to her phone and later ran a finger horizontally over her neck, as if slicing it, indicating that her phone died.

He growled, some embarrassment finally catching up with him.

 _The world really does hate me today._


	2. Chapter 2

_**A/N:** By the by, if you want updates on how life's been and shit, feel free to look at this weird-ass journal thing I've got going on my profile. I'll try to update that regularly.  
_

 _All the reviews. Hmkay?_

* * *

 ** _Hangover_**

* * *

"…I think I'm seriously going to die." The pinket groaned as he leaned forward, holding his hands over his mouth in fear that he was going to puke his insides out. Lisanna placed a gentle hand on his back, rubbing his shoulder blade gently in an attempt to comfort him.

"I told you not to drink, Natsu. Or at least not mix when you do." The Strauss said with a frown as she shook her head in disappointment. Aw, who was she kidding? She _knew_ the guy was like this. Saying that she was disappointed was a massive overstatement.

He graced the female with a tired eye before coughing, "Yeah, yeah. Keep it up." He said and she chuckled. He took a peek towards Lucy's direction, the somewhat worried expression she was sporting while looking at him made him smirk ever so faintly.

Natsu shook his head to get his thoughts out of the gutter before he slowly stood up, taking in the dizziness, "No, seriously, what the fuck. It's _never_ been this bad." He stated in annoyance, feeling something going up his throat again, and this time he knew he wouldn't be able to keep it down. Without thinking twice, he instantly bolted towards the restrooms.

Oh how glad he was that class was over by that point.

* * *

Around ten minutes had passed already when Natsu left the restroom and made for the building's exit, breathing somewhat heavily as he felt sweat trailing down his temple, _What the fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuck_ , he groaned inwardly, still feeling quite nauseous as he slipped his jacket on, zipping it up while he walked.

"Natsu! You look… well, you look like shit." The pinket rolled his eyes as he looked to the direction of the familiar female voice, his eyes locking with the blue orbs of a certain receptionist.

"Gods, I swear, all you Strauss…es are so similar it's making me sick. _Literally._ "

Mirajane chuckled as she leaned over the reception desk, revealing a gloriously massive amount of cleavage, _and here I thought she was a D. Naive, Natsu, naive,_ "Are you sure that's what's making you sick?" She smirked almost devilishly, "I heard from Cana some other festivities might be to blame for that."

The pinket blinked before showing a bemused expression, "And your point is? What, does Cana have an STD or something?" …he deadpanned, yet sounded genuinely worried.

"Oh, so you admit it!" The eldest Strauss said in triumphant amusement whilst Natsu simply shook his head tiredly and sighed.

"I don't admit shit. I can't remember anything." He eyed her, "But, apparently, you people know more about my life than I do."

"Hey, what's with the 'you people' routine?" She pouted, "But other than that… I mean, what _do_ you remember?"

"Waking up in my bed, feeling like someone smashed a goddamn anvil over my head."

Mirajane chuckled at his nonchalant tone and bemused expression, "Don't you wonder how you got back home?"

"Auto-pilot." Natsu plainly stated with an apathetic shrug. Noticing her confused expression, he ventured to explain, "See, the thing you need to know about me is that, no matter how shitfaced I get, I _always_ find a way to drag my sorry ass back home, even if I have to swim through goddamn asphalt. That's kind of how I'm wired."

She hummed in acknowledgement, remembering some rumors she had heard about the pinket and his ventures in and out of the night life. Moments later her smirk returned in full, a certain glint in her eyes that Natsu had seen somewhere before... quite a few times, too, "So… Cana tells me you've got quite the nice… _package_."

 _Oh._

"Yeah, why?" The woman almost doubled over at his seeming lack of understanding before sighing and shaking her head, _is this boy dead in the brain or something?_ " _How_ nice?" She questioned, wiggling her eyebrows suggestively.

 _Sweet Mavis, can she not? I'm about to puke_ again _and she looks like she wants to suck my d-_

"All you're getting out of me is that it's above average." He said, interrupting his own train of thought as he ran a hand through his hair in exasperation.

"What's above average?"

 _God-fucking-damnit._

His onyx eyes turned to notice a certain blonde standing there, looking at them curiously with the most innocent smile Natsu had ever seen. Surely enough, someone _had_ to try destroying that.

"Oh nothing, we were just discussing how well endo-" Natsu shot her a glare so fierce it made Mirajane blush before she laughed uneasily, the pinket only sighing at her antics, suddenly feeling _very_ self-conscious.

"Huh?" Lucy mumbled, puzzled. She later shook her head and made for the exit, glancing at Natsu, "You going home?"

The pinket blinked cluelessly, staring at the blonde's expectant face in bewilderment. Only later did it hit him that they were heading the same way, the only difference being that he needed to go one bus stop further than her. Shrugging, he waved a hand to Mirajane before following Lucy out the door.

Immediately the pair was bombarded by wind and rain. Lucy yelped in surprise and Natsu cursed in aggravation, "Come on, let's get some cover from this damnable rain." He offered and she nodded, following him.

The fresh air and cold rain did wonders for his hangover though.

It didn't take them long to reach the bus stop, though by the time they did the both of them were soaked, "At least I don't need to take a shower anymore." The pinket said in annoyance while the blonde just chuckled at his misery.

"How're you feeling?" She questioned curiously, a brow raised as she inspected him whilst he shook his head to get the moisture out of his hair, the action making him slightly wobbly when combined with his already dizzy brain.

"No worse than how I look, honestly. Though people keep telling me I look like shit, so I don't even know anymore." Natsu answered with a sigh before their eyes met, "What were you doing so long in class anyway?" He asked as he wondered why she stayed behind after class had ended.

"Well, since all of you _forgot_ that we had to add the numbers up after our visit to the homeless shelter, I had to do it." She mused and Natsu felt like punching himself in the neck as he chuckled sheepishly.

"Yeah… sorry about that." He said and she raised her hand, waving him off.

"It's okay. I mean, it's not like I had anything better to do." She said it all too sarcastically, laughing at how his face seemingly fell, "I'm just joking, Natsu. It wasn't anything too difficult so it's cool." She paused, "What about you?"

"Uhh…" He laughed, "I was kind of… you know, puking my guts out."

"Ew."

"I know right?"

It didn't take too long for the bus to show itself, although both of them were freezing by the time it did. Laughing at a joke Natsu had cracked, both of them entered the vehicle as it stopped by the bus stop and made for the back of it, Lucy carefully trying not to bump into any people whilst Natsu really didn't give two shits since the only thing he really wanted was to sit down. Passing out was a choice, too, but then again Mavis only knows where he'd end up.

"So," Lucy began as she took the window seat, Natsu sitting next to her, "How's your term paper?" Natsu's face went blue as he felt like puking again when the words left her mouth and registered in his barely functioning brain. The blonde laughed lightly and pat his back in understanding, "That bad?"

"Don't ask, Luce, please." He groaned as he shook his head and buried his face in his hands, "I haven't even started it yet."

She sighed, "Tomorrow's the due date and you're this hung over. How-"

He shot her a weak glare, "Lucy, don't. Seriously." She only laughed. Again.

"Wait… Luce?" Lucy blinked a few times as she stared at him, curious about the nickname.

Natsu shrugged, "I like giving people nicknames." _People I like, anyway_ , he thought, yet didn't voice it. He did find Lucy interesting, but he didn't really feel like creeping her out by giving her the wrong idea.

She looked a bit confused but let it slide before a silence overtook them as Natsu stared through the window, finding it annoying how the rain did a terrific job of blocking the view. A question popped in his head and he turned to her, "What're your plans for Winter break?"

Lucy hummed in wonder, "I don't know. Head home?"

Natsu's brows furrowed as he wanted to try to convince her to stay, but in the back of his head he thought she might've found that rather weird, "Okay… then what about after break?"

"Uhhh… back to class?"

He rolled his eyes, "Well, obviously. I mean the Cool Fairies party." He said, even though he found the name of the party ridiculously stupid.

Realization struck her, "Oh, that's right. The third one's on the fifteenth of January, right?" She questioned and he nodded in response, "Yeah, I don't know. I don't really like hanging out at clubs."

"Oh come on." He whined, "Look, here's the thing… my birthday's on the tenth of January, right?" She nodded, and he wondered if she actually knew that or was just urging him to continue, "And that's a Sunday. I'm obviously not stupid enough to party on a Sunday." He gave a sharp _hah_ at this, not even believing himself, "Soooo… I'll celebrate it on the fifteenth, A.K.A. the Friday after that, A.K.A. at the Cool Fairies gig."

"Oh, that sounds nice. You'd save money, at least." She smiled.

"Yeah, I know." Natsu chuckled, "And you're invited."

A giggle escaped her, "You're inviting me to a party that I'm already invited to? I'm flattered."

"No, dumbass, I'm inviting you to the dance floor." He spoke without actually thinking. He swore if he wasn't still pale due to puking his insides out he'd have a massive blush on his face courtesy of embarrassment.

Though that feeling was quickly replaced by an amused grin when he noticed that _she_ blushed instead, "1-0, I'm winning." Natsu declared triumphantly.

"You're actually going through with this challenge, aren't you?" The blonde giggled again when a victorious _hell yeah_ escaped his lips, "Well, okay… I'll think about it then." Lucy stated as she stood up and Natsu moved to let her through, knowing that it was her stop already.

"You better. Otherwise you're buying me coffee." Natsu added, the grin from before being replaced by a small yet mischievous smirk. Natsu watched her as she went towards the vehicle's exit as it stopped, watching him as she did so. The pinket couldn't exactly make out what she said, but the _purr_ in her voice and the wink she gave him made his breath hitch for a split second.

He sat down in his seat sideways, his eyes looking at her form, accidentally – not so accidentally – drifting to her behind as she exited the bus. And what a behind it was. An uneasy breath left the pinket.

 _What the hell am I getting myself into again?_

* * *

 _ **A/N #2:** Yeah, Natsu's birthday is the same as mine solely because I've no idea when his actual birthday is. I find it ironic how it's in Winter when his name literally means Summer._


	3. Chapter 3

_**A/N:** Finals are finally over and done with! Awesome author's note, I know._

* * *

 _ **Hangover**_

* * *

With a quiet groan, the fiery-haired Natsu unlocked the door to his apartment and entered. It didn't take him long to get home after Lucy exited the bus, and Natsu swore he was feeling somewhat better for some weird reason.

He didn't try to smoke yet though. He had this strange feeling it would've killed him. The very first smoke almost did.

But he lived with by this idiotic code. If, during a hangover, you smoked a cigarette and felt even shittier than you already did, it meant you were still very much alive.

The pinket was instantly bombarded with the stench of alcohol and sweat, his nose crumpling up in disgust. The fuck had he done last night? However, a quick and seemingly heavenly smell quickly pushed away the disgust he was feeling as he turned to the kitchen, noticing his red haired roommate fiddling with the stove, "Yo, Natsu." Erik waved a hand in greeting without even looking back at him, "Long night?"

"The hell are you doing?" Natsu questioned as he removed his Jordans and went to inspect the kitchen, ignoring Erik's question.

"Ramen noodles. Want some?" Natsu's brows furrowed when he realized that Erik wasn't actually cooking – he just bought some insta-noodles from the store. He shrugged though; who was he to complain? That stuff, disregarding the fact that it was unhealthy as all hell and was actually fucking flammable, was delicious beyond belief.

The two roommates sat down near the kitchen table and began slurping on the still-hot food. Erik coughed slightly as the water burned his tongue, whilst Natsu didn't even feel the heat – something that surprised Erik to this day, "So, I hear you had some fun yesterday?" He asked, trying to get back on the topic.

Natsu glared at Erik, "Hey, _you were there_." He said in an accusatory tone, "The fuck happened, anyway?"

The redhead just chuckled, "Well… you slept with Cana." He stated with a shrug, and Natsu simply sighed tiredly, "She's passed out in your room right now."

At this Natsu almost chocked on a noodle.

" _What?_ "

Erik broke out in a fit of howling laughter as Natsu put his plastic cup of noodles down and bolted to his own room. The redhead grinned as he heard Natsu cursing before the pinket came back, "And you hadn't the slightest hint to try and get her the fuck out of here?" The pink haired Dragneel growled out while pointing his finger at Erik.

"Hey, trust me, I tried." Now it was Erik's time to sigh, "You wouldn't believe how difficult she was being. Saying some annoying bullshit in her sleep like "I've never had sex this good" or "I'm never leaving this bed again." The fuck did you do to her?"

"How the hell am I supposed to know? I can't remember shit." Natsu plopped back down on the chair he had been sitting on and he rubbed his temple in exasperation, "Wait, how was she not there when I woke up?"

"Beats me. Maybe she was puking or something." The redhead stated as if it were the universal truth of reality and Natsu just kept his thoughts to himself, shaking his head before returning to his food, "Oh, by the way, you _do_ remember that we have a match today, right?"

Natsu facepalmed loud enough that even Cana rustled back in his room, " _Fuck_ , I forgot." He groaned tiredly, " _Of course_ we have a game when I feel like complete and utter shit."

"You look like shi-"

"Shut the fuck up." Natsu glared at his roommate, the redhead later raising his hands up defensively with a chuckle, "Who are we playing against?"

"Pegasus." Natsu let out a sharp _hah_ at this.

"It'll be easy then."

Erik shook his head, "I wouldn't think so. Those three regulars they've got? I hear they've become even better this year ever since they got a new coach." Natsu looked puzzled at this, "No idea who the guy is. All I've heard is that he used to be with the national team some years back or something."

The pinket almost sputtered, " _National team?_ " He gawked, "What position?"

"Haven't the foggiest." Erik admitted and Natsu deflated, making the former chuckle. He had a hunch Natsu had this urge to interrogate Pegasus's coach after the match if the guy ended up being a Power Forward, just like Natsu was, "Tough luck."

"When are we leaving then?"

"You're not going to get Cana to leave?"

"Does she look like she's going to leave?"

"Point taken." Both of them sighed, though admittedly Erik was stifling a laugh, "Jellal's coming over to pick us up in around an hour. It's an away game." Erik added when he noticed Natsu's confusion, and the pinket nodded in understanding before chowing down on what remained of his noodles, "I hear quite a few people are coming to cheer for us."

"Hah, I bet Jelly made sure this match was all over Facebook. I wouldn't be surprised to see that shit on Tinder, honestly."

"Oh yeah, there are like five separate events for this. I swear, that guy needs publicity like oxygen."

"And he tells us _we_ are the ones who need it." Both of them chuckled, though they appreciated what Jellal was doing for them. Erik and Natsu both knew that they weren't really out to be scholars or anything – hell, both of them got into FTU only because of the basketball scholarship they got. Basketball was really the only real thing they had going for them, and being scouted by some team before graduation was really the only thing they wanted.

"Alright, I'm going to hit the shower real quick." Natsu said as he finished his noodles and Erik nodded in confirmation.

"I'm just going to… you know… try to get that chick out of here."

"Good luck with that."

* * *

"Natsu!"

The man in question groaned in annoyance as he exhaled a grey puff of smoke and looked over his shoulder to notice a very annoyed Jellal glaring at him, "Didn't I tell you to quit smoking?"

"Yes, yes you did, _dad_." The pinket drawled out as he inhaled and exhaled again, watching the blue haired man with amused eyes.

Jellal brought a hand to his face before shaking his head, "Smoking isn't going to help you become a better athlete, Natsu." The older man said in exasperation, a quiet chuckle audible behind both of them.

"Don't even bother, coach. You know this guy's an idiot."

"Your face is a fucking idiot, stripper!" Natsu quickly retorted to the amused Gray who had just exited the minibus they were previously in. The raven haired man was quickly followed by Erik, Laxus and Gajeel, the latter scoffing as he too took out a cigarette and inhaled, "See? Gajeel's with me here."

"That's a first." Laxus commented and Erik nodded with a curiosity.

"I'm not _with_ this bastard, I just really wanted a smoke."

"Oi!"

Jellal simply sighed at his team's antics as he waited for both Natsu and Gajeel to finish smoking. The six of them later quickly made their way into Blue Pegasus University's away team's dressing room, the five players, sans Jellal, beginning to change as soon as entering.

"So, what's the plan, coach?" Gray questioned as he looked to Jellal, the four others doing the same.

The bluenet nodded as he folded his arms, "Well, we all remember the Pegasus last year that placed eighth in the inter-uni matches. That makes them pretty strong as is. But they've gotten even stronger this year. Some say they're the favorites this year 'round."

"Is it because of this new coach I've been hearing about?" Erik questioned, chuckling at Natsu's excited expression.

Their coach nodded, but didn't seem as amused as Natsu, "Ichiya Vandalay Kotobuki." He mused, "He was a player in Fiore's national team fifteen years ago."

"Wasn't he a benchwarmer though?" Laxus asked as he slipped on his black-red jersey, glancing at Jellal with some form of curiosity.

Their coach nodded, "That's true, but he's been on the court quite enough times to be considered as having national experience. That and he's an observer. He watches and learns." He scratched his chin in thought, "You could say he's shaping Pegasus to be on the national level as well."

"So what do we do about that?" Gray asked, yet his train of thought was interrupted when a certain pink haired individual groaned loudly in annoyance.

"Who cares? We play like we usually do and kick their ass!" Natsu grinned widely as he looked at Jellal with competitive eyes.

Jellal looked at him almost incredulously before closing his eyes and releasing a breath of relief, _Why was I even worried?_ He noticed how the other four players had also begun sporting confident and expectant expressions, ranging from grins to smirks, "Alright! Get your asses in gear and let's go hunt us some horses!"

"Right!"

* * *

A few more minutes passed before Natsu and everyone else in the team were ready. The six of them made their way to the court, Jellal giving them their final instructions and warnings which Natsu zoned out due to feeling the brunt of his hangover again. He grunted to himself, _why now?_

Erik placed a hand on the pinket's shoulder as they entered the light of the court, "You okay?"

Cheers erupted from the almost packed stands which Natsu ignored due to being used to it already as he looked up to look at his roommate. However, as he was doing so, his eyes accidentally locked on a certain blonde girl sitting up at the stands. He moved Erik's hand away as his eyes remained locked on her, "Yeah, I… gimme a sec." Natsu simply ran past Erik, the redhead's eyes looking towards where Natsu was going, a small smile making its way to his lips before he followed their teammates. Erik somehow managed to notice Pegasus's coach giving them orders, _...how the hell was someone this short on a national team?_

"Lucy?" Natsu spat out between breaths as he stood below her. The blonde's hazel eyes looked down to notice him, widening in surprise before she offered him a sincere smile.

"Hey." She said in what Natsu swore was the most calming tone he'd ever heard.

"Don't "hey" me, the hell are you doing here?"

She blinked, "What, can't I go see and cheer for our team?"

"Cheer- you- wha-" He shook his head in embarrassment before his eyes locked on her again, "No, you can, I just… Ah, screw it." He sighed tiredly before turning around and making his way back towards the court.

"Good luck!" He didn't know why, but her cheering him on somehow made him feel better. Better and ready to kick ass.

The five of them lined up in the middle of the court, facing the other team head on as they got the introductions out of the way. Natsu also noticed Ichiya looking at his team from the bench, a sweatdrop making itself known on his features. He turned to Erik, "How the hell was someone that short on a national team?"

"That's what _I'd_ like to know."

"Ready to lose this time, Fairy Tail?" The captain and point guard of the Pegasus team, Hibiki, said through a confident and almost mocking grin, interrupting their thoughts.

Natsu quickly returned a grin of his own, "Didn't you say the exact same thing last year, mr. perfect?"

"And you got your ass whooped like the little bitches that you are." Gajeel added for effect, his crimson eyes focused on Ren, their Center.

"That won't happen again." Their Small Forward, Eve, retorted.

"We'll see about that." Gray said and Laxus simply evil-eyed them, choosing to not take part in this meaningless conversation. He and Pegasus's Center both stood in the very middle of the court as the other team members took their respective positions on either side of the court. The referee quickly spoke some drivel that nobody really cared about before tossing the ball into the air. Laxus's knees bent before he launched himself in the air, his eyes widening when Ren flew above him and stole the ball with a smirk.

"We tried to warn you." Ren said triumphantly, watching Laxus in amusement whilst the blond's eyebrow twitched in annoyance.

Gray quickly dashed to where the ball should have dropped, gritting his teeth when Eve got there before him, "Tough luck." The shorter individual said with a smile before passing the ball to Hibiki.

"Defense!" Erik yelled and the FTU team quickly hurried back to their own hoop to get into defensive positions. Natsu was already breathing heavily, his head spinning from the hangover, _I can't even catch this bastard!_ He cursed inwardly before he just let Hibiki run past him.

Erik clicked his tongue when Hibiki dribbled past him, the Pegasus player holding up two fingers as he did so to inform his team of their plan. It didn't take long for their captain to pass the ball to Ren who, with a combination attack from him and another one of his teammates, managed to get past Laxus's defense and score the first bucket.

"Damn it!" The blond center cursed under his breath as he watched the smiling Pegasus players return to their positions, "Oi, Natsu!"

"I know, I know." The pinket wiped the sweat away from his forehead, trying his best not to flinch under the Center's gaze, "I'm trying here."

"Come on, guys. We can't lose our first official match." Jellal mumbled nervously as he chewed on his thumb, already thinking of calling a timeout as he inspected his players.

But he decided to trust them, and they kept on playing for a couple more minutes in the first quarter. FTU had shaped up their defense and kept Pegasus from scoring, but their offence was lacking as Natsu was in no condition to attack properly and Gray's threes kept getting blocked, "Natsu, damn it!" The raven haired man growled at the pinket who just ignored him.

Natsu was lost in his own head, berating himself and trying to figure out how the heck he was supposed to do this. Literally no plans came to his mind to get back on offence, and he was about to lose hope at the very beginning of the goddamn match.

…when a certain hand on his shoulder brought him out of his musings, "How about we give our fans something to be happy about, huh?" Natsu's eyes met Erik's, and he noticed that his roommate was pointing his finger towards the now-silent crowd that had gathered to watch. Natsu's gaze followed to where Erik was pointing in particular, shock overtaking him when he saw Lucy, looking much too worried for his liking.

And boy did that make him feel good.

He grinned as he ran a hand along his hair, turning to Erik once again as the redhead nudged him, "I got a plan."

* * *

"Hey, Gajeel – give me the ball!" Erik shouted as FTU was on the offensive. The black haired Point Guard in question seemed somewhat surprised, but shrugged and tossed the basketball to his teammate who instantly started bouncing it on the court. He locked eyes with his mark, Eve, and grinned, "Time we paid you fuckers back."

Eve blinked and steeled himself for Erik's assault. His eyes widened when Erik drifted to one side and quickly cut back to the other side with a crossover, the Pegasus player feeling himself falling down, his butt hitting the wooden floor of the court, _Ankle breaker?!_

The redhead quickly charged with a grin on his face, Ren introducing himself swiftly as Erik's new mark, "You aren't getting past me!"

"No, I'm not." Erik's grin widened, "But _he_ is." With one swift motion he flung his arm over his back and tossed the basketball upwards where – to everyone's surprise – Natsu was already there in the air, his right hand reaching for the ball.

 _A lane up?!_

"Eat this!" Hibiki didn't even have time to react as Natsu grabbed the alley-oop and flew by him before slam dunking the ball into the hoop with a battle-cry, scoring their first points. What no one – Natsu included – expected though, was the amount of strength the pinket would put into his charge. The hoop was literally ripped off of its hinges, the glass breaking and showering the players underneath.

Natsu blinked a few times, sweatdropping as he started looking pale. With wide and shock-filled eyes he looked back to the other players on the court, hoop still in-hand, to notice that they were sporting similar expressions.

"YOU BROKE THE FUCKING HOOP _AGAIN_ , YOU MORON!" Erik shouted as be bonked their Power Forward over the head while Jellal facepalmed in aggravation, his mind already trying to come up with how much the repairs were going to cost. Though, admittedly, he was stifling a snicker. Natsu gave a sheepish chuckle before he heard a distinctly familiar female laugh. Turning, he noticed that said laugh did indeed belong to a smiling Lucy, and he grinned.

"Alright, time to win this!... after you guys fix the hoop, of course."


	4. Chapter 4

_**A/N:** Okay, so I'm literally publishing this so soon only because Doosh Doosh **still** doesn't believe that I'm back. Here, this is proof! That and I was bored._

 _Also, thank you guys for reviewing. It puts a smile on my face every time I wake up to find a new review. And yeah, I'm kind of basing Natsu off of my own personality, so you guessed correctly!_

 _Now, enjoy this. Some fluff at the end - I figure it's high time something happened._

* * *

 _ **Hangover**_

* * *

"Oorah!" Natsu roared as he dunked another ball into the newly replaced hoop. It didn't take long for Pegasus's technicians to replace what Natsu had broken, but they were worried that it would break again at the rate this match was going, so they stayed behind to watch the events unfold, their annoyed eyes locking on FTU's players each time either Natsu or Laxus dunked.

The amount of times they did was too many to count by this point though.

"Damn it." Ren cursed under his breath as he was unable to predict Natsu's movements again, the aforementioned pinket simply grinning in the Center's direction as he landed on his feet, beads of sweat trailing down his neck. At first Natsu didn't pose too much of a threat by himself because he was out of it for reasons Ren couldn't tell, but Erik, Fairy Tail's Small Forward, just had to intervene. The duo bombarded Pegasus with combination attacks when, suddenly, Natsu had found enough strength in him to score points on his own, his play catching fire.

Let's just say the home team's hoop had begun being abused after that happened.

Gray had joined into the scoring frenzy finally as well, putting in threes like nobody's business. Pegasus's poor Center and Small Forward tried blocking as best they could, but FTU's Power and Small Forwards were simply too fast, putting themselves as screens in between Gray and whoever tried to block him. With a grin, the raven haired man took a step back into a jump shot as Erik screened Ren out again, scoring another three like it was his day job.

Gajeel scoffed with indignation, watching as his team was toying with Pegasus like the guys were a novice team – which, in the red eyed man's eyes, they really were. He stopped bothering to give his team orders, playing with the basketball like a master as he dribbled around three or more players from the three point line to the hoop like it was child's play, either dunking the ball in or simply laying it in lazily.

Laxus, even though he didn't show it, was putting in so much effort into his play it surprised even Jellal, who had played with the blond on a national level before Gray, Natsu and Gajeel even joined. The blond was taking in rebounds with ease, his defense seeming like an impenetrable wall. However, he was as dangerous offensively as he was on defense.

After Natsu's pathetic excuse of a long-range shot failed and rebounded, Laxus was the very first one grabbing the ball, pushing both Hibiki and Ren to the side as his massive hands took control of the basketball. Without even landing on the ground the seasoned FTU played smashed the ball into the hoop, his sharp eyes focusing on the two Pegasus players who fell to their knees in exhaustion after his display of power on the putback.

Ichiya had called several timeouts by that point, but Jellal didn't even bother. FTU's coach just watched his team play with a smile on his face, a chuckle escaping him when he noticed that Gajeel, the team's captain, had stopped giving the players orders and just let them do whatever they wanted and have fun, which seemed to work. He smiled when he watched each player give their all to the game, nostalgic memories making him zone back into when he and Laxus were playing for the Fiorean team.

And it all started with the single dunk that ended up destroying Pegasus's hoop. Natsu had that effect on people, Jellal noticed. Even in the dressing room, the seemingly simple and idiotic reasoning Natsu gave was enough to set a fire in each player's eyes. You didn't see that too often.

"Time to end this, what do you think?" Gray questioned their Power Forward without looking at him.

Natsu grinned at this as he looked to Gajeel, getting ready for the final play as their Point Guard nodded in the pinket's direction, "Hell yeah."

"Just don't break the hoop again or we'll take it out of your allowance." Natsu paled at the thought Erik voiced as he ran past Natsu to get into his position. Shaking his head, the fiery-haired Dragneel made his way to his own position, joining his teammates near Pegasus's three point line, an amused smirk morphing his expression gloriously as he saw how exhausted his mark, Hibiki, seemed.

"Don't pull a muscle there, pretty boy."

"Shut up." Hibiki growled out, his eyes glaring holes into the pinket's soul. Natsu chuckled, yet his eyes remained locked on Pegasus's captain. He didn't even have to look at Gajeel to know what hand signs FTU's captain was showing to inform them of their plan of action. It would be simple – the team would scatter Pegasus's defense in the zone with a series of quick passes and dribbling, and later they would pass to him to deal the finishing blow through isolation play.

It was borderline poetic how synchronized they were.

Hibiki struggled not to move as he witnessed his teammates being toyed with, the Fairy Tail University team almost running circles around them effortlessly. Finally, Natsu received the ball, and the captain could've sworn he was marking someone entirely different than Natsu Dragneel.

Natsu's eyes were wide, exuding such intimidation and killing intent that it made Hibiki's face pale. Each bounce of the ball from his hands to the court deafened the chants of FTU's fans and the protests of Pegasus's stands. Hibiki couldn't see anything besides Natsu's deadly gaze, and he felt as if he was staring some massive mythical beast in the maw, which quickly opened wide and was about to swallow him whole.

His body froze and, suddenly, he felt like something had smashed into his chest as he fell backwards, the air literally being knocked out of his lungs as he almost passed out from the pressure. Hibiki quickly managed to gather his bearings after falling to the court, the impact of his body hitting the ground bringing him out of his daze. He swiftly lifted a hand to call a foul, but it was never approved by the referee. The captain's eyes widened in shock when he realized that Natsu didn't receive the charging foul because he never actually made contact with him – it was the wind pressure emanated by the Power Forward moving around him with such speed and strength.

Due to the Pegasus team being scattered around the court courtesy of Natsu's teammates, the pinket found _too much_ room to do what he pleased. "I'm all fired up!" Grinning to himself, he figured he might as well add insult to injury with a bit of fun. As he ran, he smashed the basketball against the court with such force that the ball bounced above the hoop. The grin still intact, the fiery-haired male put most of his strength into his legs and leaped upward, feeling himself being lifted into the air.

Catching the ball to the side of the hoop, the Power Forward laughed to himself as he chucked the ball into the goal with ease, yet with most of his remaining strength as well. It smashed against the hoop, and the basket itself stirred before the ball calmed and fell down the net.

Natsu was propelled out of the court due to the strength behind his jump, and landed near FTU's stands, grinning and raising a fist in victory as the final whistle was blown and the cheers of their fans deafened the entire area.

They had tripled Pegasus's score.

 _124:43 – Fairy Tail University wins!_

* * *

Natsu plopped down on a bench in the dressing room, breathing heavily. He nodded his thanks to Jellal who draped a towel over Natsu's pink locks and offered him a bottle of water before the pinket chugged down on its contents. He released a breath of relief before looking at his team, all of whom were in a similar condition to him – sans the hangover, which he was already feeling again. _What the fuck is with this shit. Can it not piss off?_ He thought with a twitching brow, irritation evident in his squinted onyx orbs.

With a sigh the pinket figured he should check his phone lest Lucy replied to his previous message regarding going out for coffee on Saturday. A tick mark formed on his head when he saw that she had 'seen' his message, but never replied. Combine complete and utter exhaustion with something like that and Natsu was feeling pretty damn depressed. He didn't even care that they had completely obliterated Pegasus by that point. Though he had to admit – seeing those arrogant pricks being taken down a notch did make his lips twitch upwards ever so slightly.

"Yeah, I'm taking the train home." Natsu announced after getting out of the shower and slipping on his sweats, his eyes meeting the somewhat surprised yet worried gaze of Jellal.

As it was natural for their coach, the blue haired man instantly noticed that something was wrong, and Natsu thought himself transparent because of this, "What happened?"

The pinket shook his head, "Nothing. Just need some air is all."

After hesitating for a quick few seconds, the tattooed coach only nodded as Natsu waved a hand in goodbye before leaving the dressing room.

When Natsu left Pegasus University, he instantly felt somewhat better as the cold late November air invaded his private space, but it still wasn't quite enough to make him feel healthy. He swore he was going to pass out from the exhaustion and, since his body was at its limit, his hangover was having fun tearing his brain apart. He cursed under his breath when he almost felt like puking.

It didn't take him long to reach the train, and yet another curse escaped him when he noticed that there were no seats remaining as FTU students crowded the vehicle. Oh how glad he was that he was wearing a hoodie under his jacket to conceal himself – girls would be all over him after a match like that one.

Though he didn't know what was worse – standing on a moving train, on the verge of passing out, or sitting in a seat trying to seem alive to people he didn't really care that much about. Neither choice was really pleasing. Though, when you take in the circumstances, the latter definitely seemed like the better option when Natsu felt his eyes darken and his form leaning forward helplessly.

He was, however surprisingly, caught mid-fall by two frail hands that held his shoulders in place. His head fell on the shoulders of a person significantly shorter than him, his eyes barely open to notice a few strands of blonde locks, "…Lucy?"

"That's my name." Her voice was like a whisper, but he swore he had never heard something so serene in his life. He didn't know what it was, the exhaustion, the hangover, or the fact that he was about to pass out on public transport, but right then and there he was feeling the happiest he'd been in a while, a smile making its way to his face, "You okay?"

"Yeah, just… tired, you know?" The pinket answer with a hoarse voice, closing his eyes as he got comfortable in the embrace.

"It was a great game. My first time seeing basketball up close." Lucy admitted, a smile morphing her own features as she pulled him closer whilst he got comfortable. Uncaring of the stares people were giving them, she pulled his hood down and played with his hair to get him to relax a bit.

He hummed into her collarbone, his mind too blurry to figure out what the heck was happening – nor would he really care either way. He was enjoying this too much, "Thanks. I'm glad _you_ were there."

"Oh really? And why's that?"

Natsu couldn't see the expression she was sporting, but somewhere in the back of his head he _knew_ she was smiling, so he didn't even try to hide what he was thinking this time, "I… you give me confidence, for some reason." He paused, mulling over his words before realizing that there was really no point in trying to, "When you were watching me I thought I could do anything, honestly."

It was her turn to hum in acknowledgement this time, but she didn't answer his words. The two of them just remained in a relative silence before Natsu remembered something that put him in this slump to begin with, "You never answered my message."

Lucy blinked in puzzlement, feeling confused. A few moments passed as she ran over the exchanges between her and Natsu in her mind, and it finally hit her, "Oh! Coffee on Saturday, right?" She felt him nod as she played with his soft pink hair, his cheek nuzzling hers, "Yeah, I'd love to."

At that particular point every single negative thought Natsu had instantaneously disappeared. He didn't really know why, but even his breath hitched, and he could've sworn the way his thought process kept changing made him think he was a teenager again. His hangover magically subsided after Lucy agreed to go out with him too, but he remained silent, enjoying the embrace they were sharing. His gaze caught the people staring at them in shock. He chuckled at this, "People are staring, you know?"

"Yeah, I've noticed." She admitted with what Natsu could perceive was amusement, his smile only widening at this.

"Aren't you worried they're going to start gossiping?" He questioned, though he already knew the answer since this was _her_ he was talking about.

"What, that I'm together with the great Natsu Dragneel?" She giggled, "I could think of worse rumors than that."

Okay, _that_ he didn't expect.

But he really didn't have the energy to react how he normally would have.

"I'm going to take a short nap, okay?" He felt her nod in the embrace as his hands unwittingly found their way around her waist for support. Natsu felt relieved when she didn't make an attempt to shy away from him, "And Lucy? Thanks."

Now it was Lucy's turn to bury her face into his shoulder, and Natsu wondered if she was blushing again, grinning to himself inwardly, "A-anytime."

 _I'm starting to like hangovers._


	5. Chapter 5

_**A/N:** RnR, plx._

* * *

 _ **Hangover**_

* * *

He couldn't take this.

No, seriously, this was just too good.

He just laughed.

And when he noticed Natsu's irritatied expression.

Erik just lost his shit.

"Oh God… The cheese. It's so damn real!" The redhead spoke between breaths of laughter, trying his best to sound as coherent as possible while cackling his ass off – something his roommate didn't really appreciate judging by his twitching eyebrow and narrow eyes.

"Oi!" Natsu growled out, clicking his tongue at the ever laughing Erik.

"Sorry, I just… _You give me confidence! When you were watching me, I thought I could do anything…!_ " The redhead broke into another fit of laughter, a tear threatening to escape from the corner of his eye.

"S-shut up!" Natsu's cheeks reddened ever so slightly as he turned away with a bemused pout, trying to hide his evident embarrassment, "I was tired, alright?"

This wasn't lost on Erik as he examined Natsu in between laughs, "Mavis, this reminds me of some sort of teen drama." He wiped the stray tear away, regaining his bearings. Natsu didn't even bother to answer since he knew what Erik was saying was right, and this, too, wasn't missed on the redhead. He'd been friends with the pinket for far too long to not know the guy in and out, and the fact that Erik's observational skills were almost as good as Jellal's annoyed the crap out of the fiery-haired Dragneel.

"Okay, so, tell me-" Erik spoke in a somewhat softer voice after he had finally calmed down, yet Natsu refused to make eye contact, "You like this girl, don't you?"

"Wha-" Natsu turned to face the grinning redhead with wide, shock-filled eyes, looking as incredulous as one possibly could, "No!" He blurted out, the red covering his cheeks seemingly intensifying.

It almost made Erik start howling with laughter all over again when he realized this was _too much_ like a typical romance animu scenario, "Oh don't bullshit me, you lose your shit whenever you see her and you goddamn know it."

What made Erik's eyebrow rise in curiosity was how Natsu just sighed tiredly at this, looking perplexed, "I… I honestly don't know." He stated, and Erik nodded for the pinket to continue, "It's like… Do I find her interesting as a person? Sure. Do I think she's attractive? Hell yeah, who wouldn't? But do I actually _like_ her? You know, all that mushy feeling type of shit? I have no idea."

The redhead blinked in surprise as he looked at Natsu, taking in the information the pinket was offering him. After his brain processed everything, Erik just smiled widely, _Shiiiit, is he growing up?_ Now, normally, Natsu wouldn't give a shit about relationships or actually maintaining an emotional connection with a member of the opposite gender. There were reasons for this that Erik _really_ didn't want to remember because they were too damn annoying and left a bad taste in his mouth. _Goddamn stupid piece of-_

Anyway.

Natsu was the type of guy who would just hang out at a bar on a Wednesday – _hah_ \- and just not bother with anything other than a one night stand with a female just to vent his frustrations. But this… this made Erik curious, "So just bang her." He said with as carefree a tone as he could, shrugging as he was brewing some coffee.

Erik turned over his shoulder, inspecting Natsu's reaction from the corner of his eye. He noticed how the pinket's brows furrowed in what the redhead could perceive as something akin to disgust, "No, I don't want that." He paused, "I don't think I could do that to _her_ either."

Erik had to suppress a smile.

"What, scared that it'll end up as a one night type of thing and you two will go your separate ways afterwards?" The redhead's eyes widened when Natsu nodded.

"It's like… sure, the sex may be awesome, but the thought of waking up in the morning next to someone you have absolutely no feelings for again is… Just no, you know?"

"Then just ask her out on a date."

When Natsu shook his head again, Erik seemed genuinely surprised and confused. He gave the pinket a curious glance as a cue to elaborate, "Well, you know the shit that happened before, _obviously_." His roommate nodded an affirmative, "So It's like… I don't know if I _want_ a relationship with her. Hell, I don't know if I'm _ready_ for one at all." He took another pause, thinking over his words, and Erik found it increasingly amusing how much Natsu was struggling with this, "That's the whole reason behind this entire coffee on Saturday thing. I want to actually get to know her better before trying anything else, you know? Because, frankly, we don't know each other all that well. That, and, like I said, I don't even know if I genuinely like her yet."

Erik had to suppress a chuckle again, _this is the first girl you're afraid of offending in a long, long while, and you're telling me you don't know if you like her or not?_ Erik swore this really did seem like a teenage drama.

"Shit's so damn complicated it's driving me crazy." Natsu sighed again, and Erik just chuckled as he offered Natsu a mug of coffee and the pinket accepted it gratefully. The redhead sat down near the kitchen table and was about to say something when both of their phones vibrated. With curious expressions, both went to read the text.

"Jelly? What does he want?" Natsu mused as he opened the text.

"Probably has something to do with the day before." Erik reasoned and his roommate nodded. The two of them read the text and shared an exasperated groan, "Great, extra practice today."

"It's a Friday, too…" Natsu said dejectedly.

Erik smirked, "Hey, not like you have any plans today anyway since you're _so_ into this Lucy chick."

Natsu's brow twitched, "You're not going to let go of this any time soon, are you?"

"You know me well, my young Padawan."

"It's _apprentice_ , dumbass. Jedi ain't got shit on the Sith."

"Nerd."

"Call me that again and I'll force choke the crap out of you."

"…like saying _that_ won't make me want to call you a nerd even more."

"Shut up, Jar Jar."

"Go Sith yourself."

"With pleasure, I will."

* * *

It didn't take long for Natsu to reach Fairy Tail University by bus, even though he was somewhat pissed at Erik for not giving him a lift. _Damn those seniors and their lack of classes._ The redhead didn't have any classes on Friday – _lucky bastard_ – since class times for senior students were really irregular when compared to juniors like Natsu who had classes every day.

As soon as Natsu went through the door he was met with applause – something the pinket was already used to. He just offered a smile and a nod to the people he realized were at the match against Pegasus the other day, and he noticed that even those who weren't there were giving him a thumbs up in affirmation.

FTU wasn't a big institution. It was a private university with around three-to-four hundred students. It didn't stand out much, nor was it really a known university across the country. However, their basketball team was the highlight that made FTU shine. They were one of the best teams nationally, ranking second in Fiore after last year – something that left a bad taste in Natsu's mouth and made his right ankle sting when he remembered last year's final match against Sabertooth University.

His muscles tensed at the thought, and he had to force himself to release a few deep calming breaths lest he seemed ready to kill someone and scared people off.

Natsu pushed through the people, trying his best to avoid attention as he made his way to class. The coffee still hadn't kicked in as much as he would've liked to, and thus he really didn't feel too inclined to deal with people at the moment. The pinket wasn't a pleasant person in the morning, even _if_ it was 11:25AM already.

What irked him even more, for some reason, was that he knew Lucy didn't have this class.

* * *

It took much too long for the three classes that Natsu had to come to an end, but the pinket felt relieved to find himself in the gym area of his university. The rest of his team had joined him as well, and the five of them were passing the ball around, throwing them or dunking them into the hoop.

The benchwarmers of the team had also joined, Elfman being the back-up center who offered to 1 on 1 against Natsu. The pinket agreed, and the two had a friendly match which, regrettably for Elfman, Natsu won rather easily. The team continued to just laze around the court, getting a warm-up in whilst they wondered where their coach was.

"Where the hell is that bastard?" Gajeel mused in annoyance, "He calls us out for random practice but he's nowhere to be seen."

"I know right?" Erik agreed, "I'd much rather be playing Bloodborne or something right now."

"That or getting ready for finals." Gray joined in.

"Finals aside, this attitude is exactly why you were playing so damn horribly against Pegasus." A familiar voice called their attention as they made eye contact with the newly arrived Jellal, "Sorry for being late, I was gathering data."

Natsu's brow twitched, "The hell do you mean _playing so damn horribly_? We _eradicated_ them."

"When did you learn such big words?" Gajeel mocked and Natsu simply flipped him the bird.

The glare the azure-haired coach shot the pinket instantly shut the player up, "Yes, you won the match. _After_ almost being broken apart."

"This shithead was hung over!" Gray said in an accusatory tone while pointing in Natsu's general direction, the pinket in question remaining silent as he knew and, surprisingly, accepted that Gray was right.

Jellal's gaze only hardened further at this.

"So are you telling me you can't do anything _without Natsu_?" His words were laced with venom, and the expressions the players were sporting showed that they _knew_ he was right, "If Laxus hadn't been defending our basket, you can count on the fact that Pegasus would have broken you in the first few minutes it took for Natsu to get back up on his feet."

Jellal heaved out a pent up breath as he steeled himself for the verbal beating he was about to give them, "You five were _pathetic_ during the first minutes of the first quarter." He said matter-of-factly, ignoring the fact that it was blatantly obvious his words stung them. Hell, it made him want to continue, "More than half a year has passed since your defeat at the hands of Sabertooth in last year's finals, which I thought would make you seek to be better, but no… You haven't improved since then. At all." His eyes narrowed, "You've actually managed to get _worse_."

"Hey, coach…" A nervously chuckling Loke appeared to try and calm the bluenet down, yet he was quickly shot down by the same glare that silenced the team's regulars.

"Don't even get me started about the _bench_." He borderline growled out with enough intimidation that it made the orange-haired individual back away. Their coach looked back at Natsu and the others, clear anger in his eyes, "And you five have the nerve to say you'd be better off playing video games than practicing?" His tone, albeit quiet and calm, betrayed the utter disappointment their coach was feeling, and Natsu could have sworn it was like a knife was being twisted in his gut.

Jellal folded his arms below his chest, "I was just at Sabertooth's second official prelim." The entire team perked up at this, and Jellal had to suppress a small smile that threatened to make its way to his lips when he noticed the small flame that lit up in each player's eyes, "They are a _completely_ different team from the one that defeated you last year. Frankly, the way we are now, they would _destroy_ us."

"Victory was not enough for them. They are reaching for greater heights now." He sighed roughly, shaking his head in disappointment, "Unlike them, though, we are fine with a _loss_. They took _our_ spot in nationals, and we're _okay_ with that. We stay the way we are while they improve. Hell, it isn't just them – we barely held ourselves together against Pegasus. _Blue-fucking-Pegasus!_ "

"At this rate, we might as well pack it in and kiss the inter-uni goodbye." He evil-eyed the team one more time before simply walking past them, showing himself out of the gym to leave the team to think about what he just said.

Jellal didn't find it easy to say what he did. On the contrary – his words hurt him as much as they hurt his team. He leaned back against a wall in the dark corridor outside the gym, running a hand along his face in exasperation. He felt like shit, honestly, and he had begun hating himself, wondering if the words he used were the right ones when a hand on his shoulder brought him out of his depressing thoughts.

"Laxus?" The bluenet questioned when he saw the tall blond next to him, a sympathetic expression on his features, "What, you came to give me shit about what I said?"

FTU's Center just shook his head, "No, what you said was right." He stated, making Jellal's eyes widen ever so slightly in surprise, "We _have_ gone soft, honestly, and had you not said it, I probably would've." His eyes looked out the door to watch as the other players of his team just stood in their places, looking more dejected than when they had lost their last game against Sabertooth.

"Maybe, but…" Some doubt still lingered in him, "Wasn't I too harsh?"

Yet again Laxus shook his head, a smile making his lips twist upwards when Natsu kicked a bench down and roared a loud _DAMN IT!_ to the skies, which also made Jellal peek out the doorway, "No. This team…" He paused, "They _needed_ to hear that. I think they knew it all along, but having their own coach shove the truth in their faces might have finally revved their engines up."

The two of them watched how each of them picked up basketballs and started dribbling around the court, calling some of the bench warmers to help them out with one move or other, or simply asking them to play them 2 on 1. Both Jellal and Laxus watched events unfold with some pride swirling in their stomachs before Jellal looked towards Laxus, "What I said about Natsu… do you-?

"Natsu's a phenomenal player, we can't deny that." Laxus admitted simply, and the coach nodded at his words, "But he has his own issues he needs to sort out. Now he's only playing basketball because that's the only thing he's good at." He chuckled, "Because, let's face it, he's too stupid to get a degree-based job after university – if he ever graduates, that is."

Even Jellal laughed at this.

"But, honestly? It's _because_ Natsu's such a good player that we start relying on him without even realizing. Gray can't throw in threes without Natsu screening out the defense, Gajeel can't decide on a decent play without factoring him in, Erik can't do combinations with anyone but Natsu, and, as much as I hate to admit it, I can't cover the entire zone by myself anymore without that brat there marking someone. It really is pathetic."

The azure-haired coach listened to their Center's reasoning with wide-eyes, this being the first time Laxus had been so open regarding the team and their standing, not to mention complimenting a player so much, "We put too much strain on Natsu, especially when he doesn't have his ambitions sorted. It doesn't seem like he's playing basketball because he _wants_ to, but more so because it's the only thing he has going for him. He needs to find the drive in himself to love the game and become even better."

"Last year's defeat must still be weighing on him too." Laxus added, remembering the match all too well. Natsu had been overexerting himself for the entire year since it was his first season off the bench as a regular, and he was literally carrying the entire team on his back. This ended up in Natsu sustaining an injury to his right ankle, which the pinket, due to being an idiot, hid from the rest of the team – even Jellal had a difficult time noticing. The injury made it so that Natsu had to be benched after the first half of the final, and the end result was Sabertooth destroying FTU and taking home the trophy for first place.

Laxus didn't have a single doubt in his mind that Natsu still blamed himself for that.

"How bad was it?" The Center questioned, waking the blue-haired coach from his musings, "The Saber game."

Jellal just sighed, "They won 152 to 38." Laxus's eyes widened at this. He took a moment to mull over the disturbing information he had gained before he covered his eyes with his palms and chuckled.

"Guess we really don't have the time to fuck around, huh?" Jellal just smiled and shook his head, watching as Laxus nodded his farewell to the coach before joining the team for practice.

He observed as FTU's members began playing, some form of worry taking over him as images of Sabertooth's players abusing the opposing team's hoop resurfaced in his mind.

And yet, he had to believe in his team.

If their coach didn't, who would?

 _They'll be ready this time._


	6. Chapter 6

_**A/N:** I'm baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaack~_

* * *

 _ **Hangover**_

* * *

A rough sigh escaped Natsu's throat as he plopped down on a bench in the train station, the place entirely devoid of life and seeming almost creepy. The pinket had stayed in late for practice, and later decided to take a walk to clear his head. Obviously, he had been out for a bit too long while spacing out, and it was already 2AM by the time he realized he should be heading home. The busses were out by that point, so his only choice was the train.

He didn't exactly mind it, though. After Jellal's speech to them, he had been feeling rather guilty. Well, both guilty and angry, and more with himself than anyone else, honestly. Natsu _knew_ that what their coach had said was true. Hell, he had known the same realities ever since their loss against Sabertooth, but he never really cared. He couldn't exactly put it into words, but it was just something he rolled with. Now, however, that every single horrid thought that kept secretly gnawing at him was out in the open like this, he couldn't help but feel annoyed. No, it wasn't annoyance. He was unsatisfied. With himself, with the way he played, _and_ with how he had been living his life.

But could he really change it though?

I mean, it wasn't that easy to rewire a brain.

Quite the overdramatic groan escaped the fiery haired Dragneel as he fished out a pack of cigarettes from his jacket's inner pocket. Taking one white stick out, he shoved it in-between his lips before lighting it and inhaling. The familiar sensation of nicotine invaded his mouth and went down his throat before he took another breath and exhaled a puff of gray smoke, feeling his tense muscles relax.

Natsu took the cigarette in between his index and middle fingers, his eyes watching as the paper and tobacco burned and scattered into ash before his very eyes, the process being hastened due to the wind that breezed around him. His brows furrowed before he took another drag, and another, and then another. The cigarette was finished rather quickly, and Natsu spared no time in lighting another one.

"Two in a row? My, aren't you overdoing it?" A rather soothing voice sounded from behind the pinket, yet he still stumbled in his seat, feeling startled and almost biting into his own tongue. He was just glad the cigarette that was in between his fingers wasn't in his mouth. That would've sucked. Natsu turned over his shoulder, his onyx orbs widening in realization of who the voice belonged to.

"Lucy?" His voice betrayed his surprise, eyes blinking dumbly several times, "What are you doing here this late?"

"I was studying." The blonde female admitted as she moved to sit next to Natsu on that very same bench, the pinket quickly moving his bags to make some space. She gave him a silent _thanks_ by means of a nod before sitting down and leaning into the bench, "Lost track of time, I guess. What about you?"

Natsu hummed before hitting the cigarette again, "Practice." Was all he offered as a response through his exhale. Natsu didn't know what it was, but he wasn't feeling it. He didn't feel like talking, let alone being social. He just wanted to smoke his cigarette in peace and gather his own thoughts, try to get his mind back together lest it cost him another sleepless night.

This didn't go unnoticed by the blonde Heartfilia as she observed Natsu from the corner of her eye. Natsu was usually more sociable than this, and she couldn't help the strange curiosity that welled up inside her.

"Did something happen?"

The question was so simple. So sincere. Natsu knew that Lucy was obviously concerned about him, but he didn't want to deal with that. He didn't want to deal with anything. He just wanted to brood, something that was quite unusual for him, "I don't want to talk about it."

Heartfilia just stared at him, something between surprise and irritation flashing in her brown orbs, "What if I ask real nice-"

" _Lucy._ "

Natsu instantly felt a pang of guilt in his chest when the blonde quieted up after he spoke her name, the tone he used seeming much harsher than it should've been, leaving absolutely no room for argument. His gaze drifted to her, and he noticed how she was seemingly looking away from him, her expression unreadable. _Damn it, Natsu. The fuck are you -_ his thought process was interrupted, however, when Lucy snagged the cigarette out from his hand.

Bewildered, the fiery haired male turned to her, watching as she brought his cigarette to her own lips and inhaled sharply and deeply, only to succumb to a coughing fit moments later. He had failed to find the appropriate reaction to this and, eventually, burst into laughter, especially after noticing how disgusted she looked. Natsu realized this was perhaps the very first time she had taken a drag, and it made the scene all the more hilarious. He didn't know what she tried to prove with this, but it sure as hell amused him.

He wanted to say something. He wanted to at least take back his poison from her. Yet before he could the blonde instantly shot to her feet and made for the trashcan, putting the cigarette out against the metal surface before leaving it there. She turned to him, her brown orbs regarding him, "Come on."

"Huh?" The pinket stammered out, watching cluelessly as the female motioned for him to follow her, "Come on? Come on where?"

"Gas station. We're getting coffee."

Natsu just blinked at her in puzzlement, the notion that 'I will never understand females' once again reaffirming itself in his brain. He ventured to not question that in particular as a different thought invaded his subconscious, "…weren't we supposed to go for coffee on Saturday?"

"It _is_ Saturday."

Well, she wasn't wrong.

Dragneel made no further attempt to protest after exhaling a long and drawn out sigh. He stood up, collected his bags, and made to follow Lucy as she went up the steps that led out of the underground train station. The two of them were in relative silence, choosing to simply go to their destination. Natsu felt slightly awkward because of said silence, especially when moments ago he had raised his voice against her, which still made him feel bad. He wasn't angry at her when that happened. He was angry with himself. She just so happened to be there for him to vent, and he swore he wanted to curbstomp himself for it.

It didn't take them long to reach the gas station, and the two of them moved to the self-serve coffee machines. Natsu opted to get a Cappuccino whilst Lucy chose a Latte, "I'll pay." Natsu said as they were in front of the cash register, looking down at the shorter girl standing beside him.

Now, normally, Lucy would have declined, but this time she just shrugged, "Do whatever you want." She said, forcing Natsu to sweatdrop, _females, man,_ he thought in exasperation, nodding to the cashier lady who silently wished the pinket luck.

The two of them later found themselves outside, walking away from both the gas and train stations. It was as though a silent agreement was made between them that they were now officially _walking_ home, and Natsu was going to see her to her doorstep. At 2AM.

And he felt strangely okay about that.

There was just one thing he wasn't okay with.

 _How the fuck…? No, you know what?_ _ **No.**_

"Oi, Lucy?" Natsu's brow twitched when she made no motion to regard him, a hum of acknowledgment being all the female had offered him, "What's with you being all prissy all of a sudden?"

"Me? Prissy? Are you dumb?" Lucy shot back as her eyes turned to him incredulously.

 _Wait, what?_

"Huh?" A sound left his throat in a breath as he registered what she just said, "You're barely talking to me, you're giving me _the attitude_ , and now you're calling me dumb? The hell?"

"Well, I'm sorry Mr. I shout at people who are worried about me." The girl retorted, further confusing the pinket. Yet also angering him at the same time.

"Look, I wanted to say sorry about that, but the way you're acting now is just-"

"Are you on your period?"

Natsu almost choked on his own saliva and did a double take when she said that.

"The fuck? _I'm_ supposed to ask that!"

"I know, that's exactly why I said it first."

"And how am I even supposed to have a fucking period anyway?"

"No idea. You're acting like you have one though."

The fiery-haired basketball player didn't know what was worse; her blatantly ignoring him beforehand, the way she argued with him, the fact that she thought he was on a _fucking_ _ **period**_ , or the notion that she seemed completely disinterested in talking to him to begin with.

He swore to the Heavens she was now pushing every single button that pissed him off.

Unbeknownst to him, however, pissed him off in a playful way.

"Well… you're being a total bimbo right now!"

" _Excuse me?_ "

"Yeah! And your tits bounce way too fucking much when you walk. Are you even wearing a bra under that? If you are, it just _has_ to be a push up one. I'm right, aren't I?"

Okay, the tick mark on her forehead was much too visible for Natsu not to notice, but he somehow magically didn't.

"At least I'm not someone with _pink hair_ who _broods_ while chewing on _cigarettes_."

"I wasn't brooding!"

"Sure you weren't."

"I was deep in thought, okay?"

"Deep in thought my ass."

"Your ass would deny the deepness."

"Did you just call my ass fat?"

"Ye-no-… maybe?"

Natsu was treading a _very_ thin line after that one comment, but the unrelenting assault they put each other through looked like it wasn't going to stop any time soon. It went on for over five minutes longer before they both stared one another dead in the eyes, glaring.

…until Lucy spluttered and burst out into a laughing fit. Natsu just blinked dumbly as he stared at her in confusion. However, something akin to humor began welling up inside him when he witnessed the blonde laughing and when he replayed their stupid conversation in his brain. He then joined her, howling with laughter coming from the heart to the point that it was becoming difficult to stand.

It took a few good moments, but the two of them forced themselves to quiet down lest they wake the entire neighborhood up, "Man, that was sure strange."

"Tell me about it." Natsu replied through a sigh, wiping a stray tear from the corner of his eye.

The female glanced at him curiously, "Feeling a bit better now?"

Natsu hummed at the question, honestly giving it more than a one over. Was he feeling better? Yeah, sure, he didn't feel like staring into the stars thinking about the fucking meaning of life, but he still couldn't tell. There were too many questions left unanswered, too many things about himself that he was still unsure of, and too many fucks to give. Fucks that he sincerely didn't want to give.

And frankly, this was giving him a goddamn headache.

His eyes then met hers, and something clicked before he smiled, making his decision. A decision that, while it albeit wouldn't be easy to adhere to, he would go through with. He fished out the pack of cigarettes he held in his pocket, put his lighter within it and, with one swift motion, tossed the thing into a stray trashcan.

One step at a time.

"Yeah. Thanks."


	7. Chapter 7

_**A/N:** A bit shorter this time, but I just kinda felt like writing something._

* * *

 _ **Hangover**_

* * *

He was going to do this.

Man, this was annoying as balls.

But he swore to himself he'd do it.

Didn't mean it'd be easy though.

And as Natsu pondered over such things in his mind, he looked positively _ecstatic_ with how his body was reacting to the tobacco it _hadn't_ been subjected to. He was hunched over his kitchen's table, body almost writhing in what outwardly resembled pain. A very loud and overly dramatic groan escaped him as he stretched his arms outwardly, as if trying to grasp at something for dear life. His forehead was resting against the wooden surface, yet the motions of 'I'm just sitting here, repeatedly smashing my forehead against this table right here' told a different story.

An answer to this? A grey cloud of smoke in his face. Gajeel grinned to himself as he watched Natsu suffer, all while making it much worse with the way he was just casually smoking in his teammate's kitchen, "There's a fucking balcony for that, you asshole." The fiery haired Dragneel croaked out, his throat literally feeling dry _because_ of missing something that _actually_ would've made it dry.

"Naw, I'm good." FTU's Point Guard answered in amusement as he sipped on his coffee and inhaled his poison, crimson eyes watching his teammate, "What kind of _friend_ would I be if I didn't make things more challenging for you?"

Natsu gave a very dry yet sharp laugh as a response, "You're a goddamn cunt, you know that?"

"Takes one to know one."

"Seriously though, G. At least open a window." Erik said as he entered the room, giving Gajeel the stink-eye. Whilst the way Natsu was suffering did amuse him, he clearly thought that it was not worth making their kitchen have the odor of a damn ashtray over it, "The shit you smoke is godawful too."

"Fuck you." The dark haired male responded with a growl, yet still went to open the window. Meanwhile, Erik fell into a chair next to Natsu, a deep breath escaping him as he was relatively tired of all the training they had been going through lately. Both Jellal and Laxus have been on a proverbial killing spree in regards to training schedules and routines, and he swore Fiore's national team probably didn't practice this much. If they didn't burn out with fatigue before their next official match, their GPAs would get fucked harder than yet another Kardashian who got her sextape released.

What a surprise.

"So, what are you doing here exactly?" The red haired Small Forward inquired, looking to Gajeel for an answer.

"He's dropping off Levi's notes for native lit. I haven't read jackshit since we've been practicing twenty-four-goddamn-seven, and I kinda don't want to fail that _again_." Natsu interjected, face still very firmly enjoying the cool surface of their kitchen table.

Gajeel scoffed at this, "As if you would've read that even if we didn't have practice." He said, yet Natsu didn't even bother a reply, which amused their Captain even more, "But yeah, she asked me to give this to him, so now I'm just killing time before our next round of practice."

All three players shared a collective groan that sounded borderline pained.

"Speaking of that pipsqueak, you two dating or someshit?" Erik asked, sounding somewhat curious.

In some other, romantically horrendous animu universe Gajeel's reaction would've probably been something between choking on his coffee and doing a galactic-level double take. Sadly, _not sadly at all_ , this shit is not hoisted in the horrific multiverse of Mary Sue-like NaLu stories, so there's only one reality where Gajeel's response was a simple shrug.

"Naw, man." He answered honestly, meeting eyes with his teammate, "Like, she helps me out with class shit, I make sure no douche hits on her and stuff like that, y'know? Figure it's a pretty sweet deal."

"…what, you her Groot now? _I'm Gajeel. Wraaaaaaaah._ " Natsu said, turning his head to the side slightly so he could regard the dark haired male.

"No, dumbass." Gajeel answered with an exhale of smoke, punishing the pinket for the horribad reference, "She, quote unquote, wants to be able to fully focus on her studies without being distracted… or something like that. I swear, she's like the vegan of studying."

"Ayyy." Natsu barked out, laughing.

"Word." Erik added with a snicker, yet he wasn't quite satisfied just yet, "But, uhh… do you, y'know, like her?"

"That sentence right there sounded so drama-teen-like that I swear it just made these shitty withdrawals worse." Dragneel added, growling later when a plastic cup hit his head courtesy of his roommate.

"Can't believe I'm saying this, but I agree with pinky here." Gajeel said through a short laugh.

"Right?!" Natsu added.

"Just answer the damn question."

Gajeel hummed, taking a quick drag of his smoke and then finishing the combo off with a sip of coffee, basking in the utterly entrancing taste, "I dunno. I mean, yeah, sure, she's cute, I guess, but I honestly never really thought about it before."

"Yeah, it's kinda difficult to imagine an idiot like you with Nerdvi."

"I don't want to be called an idiot by you, of all people." The Point Guard said before bonking Natsu on the head.

 _Well, they do say opposites attract,_ Erik thought amusedly, resting his chin in his open palm, "And what's up with you, Natsu? You quit smoking cause Lucy told you to?"

"Those two are a thing?" Gajeel questioned, blinking at Erik with some form of surprise.

"Not exactly, but it's getting there. I mean, they-"

A loud groan that came from Natsu made the redhead quiet down, "It's… I don't fucking know, man. Don't ask me shit like that."

"Oh sweet baby Jesus I can already smell the drama." Gajeel added, rubbing his temples and shaking his head.

"Dude, you either like her or you don't. It's not that difficult."

Natsu sighed, "When I figure it out – you'll know. Until then? Leave it alone, alright?" He said, sounding annoyed, "Look, between quitting smoking, studying, the increase in practice and game rhythm, and a goddamn Everest of other shit, my brain feels like it's being fucked sideways by some kind of mutant-alien race of cacti dildos and can't think straight. So stop acting like sixteen and pregnant bridesmaids and just lemme go at this at my own pace."

A relatively long pause followed this before Gajeel took a sip of his coffee, "Where the _fuck_ did you come up with the whole "mutant-alien race of cacti dildos" thing?"

"Saw some weeb browsing Tumblr on the train ride home."

"That actually explains everything."


	8. Chapter 8

_**A/N:** Due to the plentiful response on the last chapter, I decided to croak this out a bit earlier than planned. Hope you guys get the hint, teehee. Enjoy._

* * *

 ** _Hangover_**

* * *

"Damn it." Gray breathed out heavily as he walked towards the opponent's side of the court, bouncing the ball against the wooden surface every second step he took. His body was getting too fatigued too fast. Eyes scanning his teammates, he realized that they were in similar states. Natsu was barely able to lose his mark since the match started; Erik didn't try any flashy plays; Laxus could barely overpower the opposing center under the hoop; Gajeel's decision making was subpar at best.

Was this the result of them overexerting themselves in training?

Jellal bit into the side of his thumb as the exact same thoughts ran in his head, an azure gaze fixated on his players, hoping that his plan would work. They were playing Eisenwald, for heaven's sake. Being up by one was much too close against a team that barely ranked top sixteen last year.

Stopping just behind the arc, Gray tried to decide what to do next. Gajeel wasn't calling for a pass, so the two-guard knew their Captain left the next play up to him. He noticed Natsu and Erik making eye contact, and his mind instantly realized what the dynamic duo was thinking. A double-screen. Nodding, Gray watched as Erik screened out the guy who was marking Natsu, and the pinket quickly moved to screen out Gray's mark.

Using this to his advantage, Gray did a three-sixty dribble, grinning to himself when his mark hit Natsu's shoulder, hard. Sidestepping to create even more distance, he transitioned into a jump shot and fired… only for it to be blocked by Eisenwald's Small Forward, Erigor.

Gray clicked his tongue in annoyance as his feet touched the ground, too late to notice the opposing players going for a fast break. Before any of FTU's players could even reach the three-point line, Erigor had already dunked on the bucket fiercely, turning back to grin at them.

They were down by one with less than thirty seconds left in the last quarter.

The dark haired SG bit into his bottom lip, angry with himself. The whistle was blown instantly thereafter, indicating that Jellal had called a timeout, and both sides of the court went to their respective benches to strategize. As soon as FTU's players sat down, all of them began downing water bottles like nobody's business. Their tattooed coach just watched them with a worried expression, noticing how tired all of them were. If they lost now, it would be on him. He was the one who pushed them, seemingly too far.

"You know…" Natsu said in between breaths, trying to pace his breathing, "Despite being tired as fuck, we haven't really gotten slower."

Surprise flashed in Jellal's eyes, yet before he could say anything their SF chimed in, "Aye. Though we were slower at the start." Erik said, finishing his bottle of water in two large gulps.

Natsu grinned, "But we're not getting any slower. _They_ are." He looked at Jellal, "The training, while it's fucking murdering us, is working. I guess our bodies just haven't adjusted to the strain yet, that's why we were slower. But our stamina and consistency have definitely gone up."

"Are you smart _only_ at basketball?" Laxus commented, earning a dirty look from the aforementioned PF.

Jellal breathed out a sigh of relief, realizing that, besides being behind the Home team, his players hadn't lost the will to win. His eyes drifted to Gray, noticing that their two-guard seemed down, "Gray, you-"

"I'll make the shot." He said adamantly, and Jellal was forced to pause for a split second before attempting to restrain a laugh.

"Don't hesitate this time." Gajeel interjected, "That last play… you would've sunk that bucket if you hadn't taken too long. I get that that sidestep was meant to create more distance, but it gave that fucker Erigor enough time to zone in for the block." Gray nodded to that reasoning, realizing that, despite the fact that Gajeel was the one saying this to him which was fucking humiliating, by the way, he was right.

"After our next play, they won't call for a timeout." Jellal said, remembering the investigating he'd done on Eisenwald, "They'll try to surprise us by getting on the fast break again. Our defense has got to be rock-solid by that point." He said, looking to Laxus. The blond Center nodded, his gaze steeled.

"Well then." Natsu sprung up, punching his open palm with his fist, a grin on his face, "Let's raise some hell."

The whistle signaling the end of the timeout was blown, and they all got into their respective positions on Eisenwald's side of the court. Erik was outside the court, standing next to the ref, getting ready to throw the ball back into play. He noticed how Eisenwald had instantly begun double-teaming Gray, and he snickered, "Nice try, but pointless, honestly." Faking the motion of passing the ball to their SG, Erik threw it in a completely random direction, confusing Eisenwald's players.

However, before the ball could go out of bounds, Natsu appeared, seemingly almost out of nowhere, a grin on his face, "Sink the fucking shot." He said as he almost literally punched the ball and sent it towards Gray, bypassing the confused defense.

"You don't have to tell me twice." Fullbuster answered as he took the ball with both hands. He saw Erigor making for him as he got into his jump shot. What Erigor hadn't expected, though, was that it was a fadeaway. Gray fired before Erigor's block could ever reach him.

The contested shot had an extremely high arc as it elevated way above the backboards. Every player present watched as it floated towards the hoop, seemingly in slow motion. Jellal, however, grinned to himself, remembering all the times he had made a complete replica of that shot.

Gray made the shot, and FTU was up by two.

"COME ON!" Gray screamed challengingly with authority, forcing the other FTU players to grin. Yet they had to refocus on the game as, just as Jellal had instructed, Eisenwald quickly got the ball back into play and charged like wild animals.

"Get back on defense!" Jellal shouted from the bench, and his players moved in tandem to his words. Erigor was already behind the arc, aiming a three-point shot that would get Eisenwald back on the lead.

"Peek-a-boo, motherfucker!" Erigor's eyes widened when he heard those words, a hand reaching from behind and over his head to smash the ball out of his grip. Turning over his shoulder, he noticed a defiantly grinning Gajeel.

"You goddamn…!" Erigor cursed and tried to get back into the game, but the trajectory of the ball was heading right for Laxus, Fairy Tail's imposing Center. The blond caught the basketball, and instantly chucked along the entire court, back to Gray who patiently waited back on Eisenwald's side of the court.

He caught the ball behind the arc and jumped.

The three made the bucket.

The buzzer blared.

"92:97; Fairy Tail University wins!"

* * *

A long and drawn out sigh escaped Lucy as she buried her head in the pile of books laid out before her. She was tired. So. Freaking. Tired. She liked to study. She absolutely _loved_ literature. But it honestly oftentimes overwhelmed her. Having a double major was no easy thing, especially when you have to manage a part-time job at the same time. Sleep was something foreign to the blonde by this point.

Especially when family was being a pain in the neck.

 _Hah, family._

Speaking of family, her phone buzzed. Slowly, almost painfully, Lucy reached for the device, tired eyes raising to view at the bright screen. _Dad_ , it said, and she could very barely suppress a groan, _what does he want this time…?_ She thought to herself, honestly dreading the concept of what he was about to tell her this time.

Yet, before she could check, her phone buzzed again.

 _Natsu Dragneel_.

The girl blinked, watching the name with some form of surprised etched in her hazel eyes. As if a second breath had hit her, she hurriedly input the four-digit passcode into her phone and opened the message.

 _We won._

She read it over and over again, just sitting there, almost dumbfounded. Until, eventually…

She smiled.


	9. Chapter 9

_**A/N:** A bit of stuff coming your way before I let you read this. Now, I realize that this is a story in the FT realm, but I can't help myself. Recently I've been hooked on this story titled **Seeing Red** by **RyoshiMorino**. It's a Naruto story, with the unusual (yet fucking awesome) pairing of Naruto and Tayuya. I've been addicted to it from the get-go, and breezed through the 40-something chapters in only a couple of days. Seriously, regardless if you like Naruto or not, give it a read. I can fucking guarantee that you won't be disappointed._

 _Now, some other things. As some of you who have been following this story for a while now can see, the description of it has changed. That's because I've finally picked my balls up off the floor and decided to look at this shit seriously and not as just some shitty side-project of a story I'm never going to finish. Some of the first chapters have been rewritten to work out the kinks since writing during a hangover isn't exactly a bright idea. It's nothing major, I assure you, so it's not necessary for you to go back and reread that crap. If you're curious enough, though, go right ahead. I won't complain._

 _Also, to some of you who might not know basketball positions and may be confused by some of the used acronyms, I'll explain this once and for all so I don't get any more questions about this shit._

 _Point Guard, PG or simple Guard - Gajeel  
Shooting Guard, SG, simple Guard or two-guard - Gray  
Power Forward, PF or simple forward - Natsu  
Small Forward, SF or simple forward - Erik. I refer to him by his name. If someone's still confused, that's Cobra.  
Center, Big Man or just C - Laxus_

 _I'll occasionally use their shortened forms due to the simple fact that I'm much too lazy to keep writing their full positions. That and not only will repeating the same nouns be redundant, it'll annoy the fuck outta me and drive me crazy._

 _Alright, I'm done. Long as fuck Author's Note, I know. I'll leave you to reading. Do me a favor and review, hmkay? I do honestly read all of them, and I'm really happy to hear that people like this story._

 _Oh, and the Warriors will sweep. That or it'll be 4-1. Just sayin'._

* * *

 _ **Hangover**_

* * *

Rubbing his forehead with a towel, Natsu attempted to correct his breathing. From quick and irregular breaths to deep and paced ones. Inhaling from the nose, exhaling from the mouth to completely empty his lungs. His muscles still burned after he had gotten out of the shower, having gotten his training regimen in for the day on the account that they had no matches going on.

Natsu and the rest of the team had two more matches after the Eisenwald game. One was against Twilight Ogre – pretty much a sweep, that one. The other one was against Phantom. The second team was a bit more difficult to handle, especially since Gajeel had trouble playing against his old team at first. Yet that was quickly sorted and FTU managed to get out on top. They were now ranked first in their prefecture as the first leg of preliminaries was over. Now they were free to deal with the rest of their finals before Winter Break came around the corner.

And Natsu didn't know what was worse. Finals, or Winter Break.

A sigh escaped the pink haired forward as he got dressed, his choice of clothing consisting of loose sweatpants and a hoodie, coupled with 'some fresh white J's' that Erik had gotten him as an early birthday present. Early was an understatement; his birthday was around a month from now. Though neither of them knew if Erik would even be there on the day – even though Natsu didn't really care that much – so it was kind of understandable.

Dragneel hoisted his red duffel bag over his shoulder as he made his way out of the dressing rooms, rotating his neck to try and get the rest of the kinks out, "Done already?" A voice called his attention, Natsu's onyx orbs drifting to meet the tired ones of Mest Gryder, a senior student who was also sometimes the acting assistant coach whenever Jellal was out scouting or gathering data.

"Yeah, clocking out for the night." Natsu replied with a satisfied grunt as something popped in his shoulder, "You look like shit, by the way."

The dark haired upperclassman replied with a short laugh, "Yeah, just wait till you're writing your thesis. I'll see how you'll fair."

"Oh fuck off, I'm tired of hearing all you seniors bitch about that shit as though it's borderline impossible." The pinket said with a roll of his eyes, remembering all the times Erik and co. would bitch at him about the same damn thing over, over, and over again.

"No, see, what's impossible is trying to get it through my advisor. Do you have any idea how many times I've had to rewrite this piece of shit page alone? And it's literally like every sentence needs to have evidence in it. I swear, I'll probably have to have evidence for every fucking comma I use just to prove that it's not plagiarism"

Natsu just chuckled at his friend's misery, "Yeah, well, I'm gonna leave you to it and see if I can't get ready for finals some."

"Oh, did I mention that, together with this thesis bullshit, we also have finals?" Mest whined, and Dragneel just pat his shoulder as the acting assistant coach just smashed his head on his desk and just laid there, motionless.

Natsu was making his way out of the gym when he remembered something and checked his phone, a smile forming on his face when he saw there were two unread messages from a certain blonde. She was at the library, and an idea popped in the pinket's head.

 _Natsu Dragneel: Yo, you mind if I tag along to… ugh, can't believe I'm about to say this… study?_

He didn't have to wait long as the reply was quick, making him wonder if she'd actually been waiting on him.

 _Lucy Heartfilia:_ You _want to study? Did someone take your phone and is playing a prank on me right now or something?_

 _N: Yeah, laugh it up, blondie. I just don't want to fail Native Lit. again. That shit's making me go crazy._

 _L: Okay, well, I'm at the library. Come over and I'll see if I can't help you out._

 _N: Great. Be there in five._

Natsu pocketed his phone and slipped on his jacket as he went outside. The chilly mid-December weather hit him hard, yet his body was still warm from the exercise and shower, so it was bearable. He'd just have to get out of the cold before he froze. He breathed out a cloud of steam as he went, eyes narrowing at the fact that it was getting colder by the day.

As he neared the main building, the forward's onyx eyes drifted to the almost barren smoking area, a tinge in his throat making his body shiver, _what I wouldn't give for a cig right about now_ , he thought through a sigh, but managed to quickly bite those thoughts away. Quitting his poison was going rather well from him, aside those first few days where he literally felt like stabbing himself in the gut with a fork. The workload from both getting ready for finals and practicing for the championship kept his mind off it to a large degree, though, so it definitely made things easier.

Natsu went through the door to the main building, and was instantly met by the expectant blue eyes of Mirajane – someone who hadn't left him alone ever since his little adventure with their resident Alberona, "Fancy seeing you here this late." She cooed, and Natsu had to suppress a pleasurable shiver that threatened to go down his spine. Her voice alone was like magic to his ears, honestly. He had to wonder how he hadn't done anything with her yet.

Turning to meet the receptionist's gaze, Natsu spoke, "Just stopped by to…" and he almost choked at the sight of what she was wearing, _Mavis, this girl is seriously throwing herself at me right now_ , he thought at the sight of her V-neck that revealed enough cleavage to make him gawk, not to mention that she pulled her bra up to the point that it was visible, and oh what he wouldn't give to rip that shit off of her, "…try and get ready for finals. Yeah. Finals." He finally finished with an uneasy chuckle, averting his eyes from her bust as he coughed into his fist.

Seriously, _not_ going for her was proving to be too fucking annoying, especially when she was almost literally just begging him to take her right there on her desk. Hell, it probably wouldn't take him long to have her actually spread those magnificent legs of hers for him.

 _Goddamnit, Natsu._

Natsu definitely pretended not to notice when the eldest Strauss licked her lips suggestively, her seductive blue orbs firmly locked on his frame, "You seem nicer today." She said, and the fiery haired Dragneel had to pause for a split second for his brain to register what she was getting at. Then it hit him that he was quite the dick to her when he was hung over a couple of weeks back.

The white-haired beauty giggled to herself, interrupting Natsu's thoughts as she realized he was getting a bit fuzzy. _Fuck's sake_ , he thought. She'd been gunning for him for several months now, and Natsu swore she had this way of going about it that actually left him feeling self-conscious, as though reading into him was her fucking day job. It annoyed him, honestly. He couldn't lie, though; part of it actually intrigued him.

"Anyway, I can… _help_ you out with that, if you want me to." And the way she said things seriously made him tingle. Fucking _tingle_. _What the fuck._

Rubbing the back of his head, Natsu heaved a ragged sigh as he made his way towards to the library, giving the female a weak smile, "Naw, I'm good." He said, noticing her pout. He cursed himself for what he was about to say next, and he knew he was going to regret it, but fuck it. He turned back to her, "Next time, maybe?"

Mirajane's face lit up, a smirk making its way to her delicate lips, " _Definitely_." She said with an added _purr_ , and Natsu wasted no time to get the fuck out of there after that.

Eventually, and through some male-specific struggling due to wearing fucking sweatpants, Natsu entered the library, giving a short nod to the librarian who was extremely surprised to see him. The pinket rolled his eyes at this, and wandered around the rather large area in search for a certain blonde.

"Over here." He heard a familiar voice call, and he turned, lips twisting upwards into a smile when he saw the equally smiling female, her hazel orbs watching him from the other side of the room. Natsu found his way to the desk she occupied and sat down on a chair in front of her, offering a quiet _hey there_.

"Hey." She replied, "You doing okay? You seem… out of it."

 _Flustered, you mean._ He thought, yet didn't voice it. The fact that a woman had actually made him get fucking flustered amazed him. Honestly, no one since his ex had managed to do that. Well, Lucy was doing something similar on occasion, but he still didn't know what the fuck to classify that as.

The basketball player shook his head, "Got cold on the way here, I guess." He said a bit too quickly, making her brow rise, which didn't go unnoticed by the pinket, "Anyway, tell me you haven't been hauled up here all day."

An exasperated sigh escaped the blonde, and Natsu kicked himself to suppress the laughter that was threatening to leave his throat, "Indeed I have. This pol econ paper is giving me a headache."

Natsu nodded, understanding the struggle, "Yeah, I had Erik help me with that. Being a business major that actually studies, that shit was easy for him."

"Lucky you." She whined, "I'm no business major, so this stuff is literally just going in one ear and out the next."

"English, right?"

"Literature through and through."

"Huh. Great." Natsu grinned, "So native lit should be a walk in the park for you."

Heartfilia just rolled her eyes, "Alright, show me what you've got so far." She said tiredly, and Natsu breathed out a quick _sweet!_ as he fished out his laptop from his duffle bag, and Levi's notes that Gajeel had handed him.

"I've been using Nerdvi's notes, but I swear that girl has so much crap in her notebook it's hard to keep track of." The basketball player admitted as he opened his laptop and handed it towards the female.

"Nerdvi?" Lucy questioned, somewhat confused as her eyes scanned what Natsu had typed up in his exam prep sheet.

"Levi."

"You have her notes?!" She inquired with surprise, and Natsu just nodded, a brow raised in wonder as to why she seemed so surprised, "Can you show me?"

"Uuuh… sure." He answered, passing her the notebook. Lucy spared no time to dig into the item provided, her eyes widening as she scanned through everything nodding several times to herself as she came up on something that intrigued her, "…why're you acting as though this is the holy grail or some shit like that?"

"Because." She said quickly, her eyes never leaving the notebook, "I don't personally know her, but I have several classes with her. That girl is smart, and rather closed off. The fact that I can read her notes makes me so lucky!" She exclaimed, and Natsu felt like he was about to gag, "Where did you get this?" She asked, eyes finally moving to regard him.

"Uuuuh… Gajeel gave them to me." He said, "Those two are pretty close, and we sometimes talk, too. Just had to ask, honestly."

He swore Lucy looked at him like he was some kind of anomaly.

"Wait, _Gajeel_ and _Levi_?" _Yup,_ was Natsu's answer as he nodded, "Are those two dating?"

The fiery haired Dragneel in question shrugged, "He says they aren't. Like, they've got this deal going where she helps him out with homework and he keeps any leeches off of her." He smirked to himself when he thought that Lucy might have been one of those leeches with the way she was absolutely drawn to her notes that it made her look like a druggie whose fix was right in front of them.

Lucy hummed, "So that's why people just move out of her way. Think she's bothered by it?"

"How?"

"She always looks so lonely because of it, I don't know…"

Inwardly, Natsu scoffed, _like you're one to talk,_ he thought, "Well, I mean, I've known her since we were kids. Sorta. She's always been someone whose been fine doing what they're doing. Then again with how friendly she can be with those close to her, it really is a wonder how she hasn't gotten depressed with the way people have been treating her."

A hum escaped Lucy, but before she could say anything, Natsu got an idea, "How about I introduce you two?"

The blonde blinked as she looked at Natsu as if he'd grown tits, "What?"

He couldn't help chuckling this time, "You heard me. Or have you gone deaf?"

She shook her head, "No, it's just… why?"

He shrugged, "Considering both of you could use more than one friend," Natsu said in almost an accusatory tone as his eyes narrowed at her, "I figure I might as well, you know?"

Normally, Lucy would've complained about it. Over the past few days Natsu realized that Lucy indeed had very few friends for reasons she hadn't disclosed to him. Whenever the pinket offered to help her out with that issue, she would usually shoot him down, saying she's fine as things are. Whenever she did, though, it was much too easy for the pinket to see right through the fact that she was lying and that something was actually bothering her, but he didn't pry. He figured she'd speak up on her own eventually.

And he honestly wasn't surprised by the fact that she at least agreed to meet with Levi. She was actually eager. Too eager, and it made the Dragneel smile, "Alright, I'll see what I can do."

He noticed the slight shade of pink that took over her cheeks as she turned away, thanking him. He grinned, "2-0." Him reminding them both of the challenge Natsu was decidedly undertaking made both of them burst out laughing to the point that the librarian had to hush them up. For some reason, it actually made Natsu happy to see her smile. It was an unusual feeling, and he'd be lying if he said he didn't like it.

After a little bit of back and forth, the two of them dug into their studies. While Lucy looked over his native lit, Natsu offered to take a look at her political economy term paper, "Erik's a good teacher. I'd be lying if I said I didn't learn anything." He reasoned, and she agreed, thinking it was better than nothing.

Around two hours in, Natsu exhaled a ragged breath. He had finished with Lucy's paper, giving her some tips and points of reference she could check out, and went back to his own machinations. Native lit was giving him a headache already, and he groaned, "I'd rather be fucking hung over again."

Lucy just chuckled at his misery, "I can't believe I'm agreeing with you right now."

The pinket laid his head down on the desk, taking a breather from all the academia that he had been drinking as if he'd been shotgunning a beer, "Any changes for Winter Break?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, you said you're probably going home, right?" As soon as the words left his mouth, Natsu noticed the frown that took up residence on Lucy's face, her eyes drifting to her phone to check a message, as if on instinct. All throughout their study session her phone had buzzed several times, but Natsu never really asked about it. Yet whenever she looked at the whatever message she got from whomever, Lucy was definitely less than thrilled.

"I… I don't know now, honestly." She said, the amount of stress her voice held impossible to not notice.

"Trouble at home?" He decidedly asked, and was surprised when the blonde nodded. He wanted to ask more, he really did, but figured it wasn't really his business. Natsu thought on it for a bit, and later nodded to himself, "Any plans for Christmas?" He asked, but he really wasn't waiting for an answer as he waved her of before she could say anything, "Me and the guys are kinda doing this party thing at our place. Nothing major. Secret Santa, maybe a few drinks. You know, just to chill a bit before they go home."

"Aren't you going home?" She immediately asked, and Natsu just shook his head.

"Naw. It's… complicated. Maybe I'll tell you someday." He elaborated when he saw that she was about to ask, and she nodded, "So, what do you say? Think you could make it? It'll give you the chance to meet Nerdvi, too."

That got her going. Granted, she did take a bit of time to decide, but eventually shrugged as her mental constraints relented, "Okay, I don't see why not." She said with a smile which was borderline contagious by this point as Natsu couldn't even attempt to restrain the grin that plastered itself on his face, "But, for now let's get back to studying because at the rate we're going Christmas is going to be pretty darn sad."

"Aye, sir!"


	10. Chapter 10

_**A/N:** Next one's gonna be longer. Probably. Anyway, RnR away._

* * *

 ** _Hangover_**

* * *

 _"Death walks among you."_

The large, bulky, cloaked man spoke behind his mask, said mask the shape of a pointy skull, eyes as dark as the void. A dark, distorted laugh escaped him as he brandished his two shotguns and darted forward, making a beeline towards their objective. It was round three, and they were going to be royally screwed if they couldn't manage to take the objective with this push. Time was running out quickly.

Strafing right, he picked up the sight of a blonde, angelic figure, her body wrapped in the tight jumpsuit-like Valkyrie armor that she always adorned, _the hell is she doing so far away from her team? Ah, whatever, without her they'll be piss-easy to kill._ Moving among the shadows, shifting from cover to cover to remain unseen, he took the woman by surprise, both of his lethal weapons aimed right at her chest.

He pulled the triggers on both guns, a grin spreading across his face when she howled in pain, buckled and fell over, her body disappearing shortly thereafter.

 _"Don't forget – you're the one responsible for this."_

Mercy was dead, their support gone for approximately twenty seconds. Reaper turned, his retinas searching for his teammates. They were hitting the main entrance. Good; that would give him the chance to flank them. With that thought in mind, he moved silently, awaiting the chance for the kill.

When Death Blossom was ready, he was _itching_ to get into the heart of the fight.

He took up position within the second floor of a three-story building, watching from around the corner as their Reinhardt and Roadhog were taking point, using the large armored fellow's barrier-like shield as cover whilst the fat one tried to hook one of their more squishy damage dealers. Behind them Genji was spamming his shuriken, undoubtedly waiting for the chance to unsheathe his blade. Reaper's ears perked up when he heard the _very_ particularly familiar shot of Widowmaker's rifle, glee taking over him when he realized that she had taken out their Bastion.

When he saw Lúcio, he knew it was time.

They rushed in when he 'amped it up.'

 _"Oh, let's break it down!"_

Lúcio's soundwave shook the area, granting their entire team a crapload of armor as they bolted inside their target area. Gripping his guns tighter, Reaper brought them close to his person as he focused on the battlefield.

 _"Death comes._ "

Before anyone realized what had happened, the dark and menacing figure was right in the middle of them, entering from behind enemy lines using his Shadow Step, materializing out of pure darkness. The next move was instantaneous; a gloriously planned and magnificently executed dance of death.

 _"Die! Die! Die!"_

He spun in place, arms extended to either of his sides as he unleashed a downpour of searing crimson lead, showering his foes in his deadly onslaught. Shadows expunged from within Reaper's cloak, darkening their target zone until his teammates couldn't see what was happening within the fray.

Reinhardt was the first to investigate, his old, battle-hardened eyes scanning the perimeter, trying to find any form of danger. However, the pitch-black mist finally began receding, and he couldn't help the explosion of boisterous laughter that erupted from his throat at the sight of Reaper standing there, alone, his boot on a disappearing McCree's head.

 _"You never were a good student."_

The rest of the fight hadn't taken too long. They had defended the point like their lives depended on it, pushing the enemy team back with a flurry of lead and Reinhardt's massively oversized hammer. Reaper began roaming the area, however he never strayed too far just in case his team was in need of his offensive capabilities. It was hard-fought, but the fight was won.

"And that's what you fuckers get."

A grin spread across Natsu's face as he leaned back, stretching his arms out, eyes locked on the letters that bound together and spelt _Victory_. Said grin got much wider when he got play of the game, the sequence of him cleaning the entire capture point of enemies being replayed for him to enjoy properly.

"That's your first one, isn't it?"

"Oh shut the hell up." The pinket growled, looking up and over his shoulder at his smirking roommate, "Their fucking Bastion couldn't do shit this time. Goddamn cunt."

"Wasn't that because Widow was downrange?" Erik questioned the highly irritable Natsu, watching as the basketball player exited Overwatch and left his PC on rest mode.

"Yeah, maybe. But still. Whoever plays that bucket of bolty dicks needs a fucking lobotomy." Dragneel growled. Seriously, Bastion was probably that one character he hated the most, aside the broken three Pharah combo.

 _Justice rains from above!_ …times three, _Motherfucker._

That was just downright cancer.

Erik snickered to himself, "Says the guy who mains Hanzo and his bullshit hitboxes."

"Ryuu ga waga teki wo go fuck yourself." Natsu replied through a sigh and a raised middle finger as he got up from his seat and made for the kitchen, "Yo, did you shake the bottles like I told you to?"

"All five once every hour, yeah." The redhead responded, humming curiously, "Say, why're you going out of your way to make something fancy like this? Like, I get that you're a bartender… or, well, you _were_ a bartender, but even this seems like a bit much for a chill Christmas Eve." He paused before a very sly grin made its way to his features, "Is it because Lucy's gonna be here?"

Natsu looked back at Erik as he opened the fridge, giving his roommate a weakly irritated glare, "Skittles vodka ain't that difficult to make, nor is it really fancy." He answered, decidedly leaving any and all commentary to that and that alone. He'd be lying if he said he didn't want to prepare something because of the occasion. This would be the first time Lucy and he would actually hang, besides that one time he walked her home. He didn't really have time to prepare anything awe-inspiring due to finals and basketball practice taking most of his energy, but he figured he might as well get something done.

The five different-colored bottles of alcohol were the perfect choice. Five point fives, each color representing a different taste; green for lime, purple for grape, yellow for lemon, orange for orange, _duh_ , and red for strawberry. Natsu liked how the colorings had turned out, _especially_ the fact that it was relatively easy to get the Skittles jizz out of the bottles using several filters. The beforehand realization that they had enough leftover Belvedere just made the whole thing much more delectable.

Now whereas to any non-drinkers vodka would be disgusting to the point of vomiting, this concoction was made well enough that anyone could drink it without using whatever other beverage to wash it down. It was one of Natsu's favorite drinks, honestly. Simple to make, delicious to drink, easy to get shitfaced. Perfect.

"Did you finish with the food?" Dragneel questioned without looking, too busy inspecting his drinks of choice for the evening.

"Yeah. I'm just not sure if it'll be enough or not, though." The redhead replied, scratching the back of his head, "Like, are coach and Laxus even coming?"

Natsu shook his head a negative, "Laxus is out talking to this possible new coach that can apparently help us out this year. No idea who the guy is, but I think he's also gonna be a professor starting next semester." He informed his roommate, a nod following quickly thereafter, "No idea where Jelly's at though."

"He's out with Erza." Another voice joined into the fray, and both individuals turned to the source. The culprit was a female, no more than 23 years old with a bust that Natsu thought rivaled Lucy's, and that was saying something. Dark, violet-ish hair that fell to the middle of her back and also not only framed her face but covered her forehead as well, all tied together with a white ribbon on the top of her head; sharp and intelligent brown eyes, fair skin, and just in general very beautiful facial features and figure, "Boys." The female greeted, nodding to Natsu before smiling at Erik and giving him a quick peck on the cheek.

"Kagura." The fiery-haired Dragneel nodded back, scoffing at the sight of the couple, "How you managed to snag a girl like _that_ is _still_ beyond me, E."

"What can I say?" He shrugged, a cocky shit-eating grin marking his face, "I'm just that good."

"Not as good as you think you are, honey." The female added, making Natsu chuckle before the duo shared a high-five.

Erik's brow twitched at the scene, "I don't appreciate you two getting along so well and ganging up on me like this."

"Anyway." Natsu interrupted, stretching and groaning when something in his back popped, "Okay, so those three aren't coming. Anyone else?"

"Gajeel's coming. Together with that Levy girl, I think." Natsu nodded, "Then there's Gray…"

"Oh, shit." Natsu interrupted, suddenly feeling the situation turning _very_ hilarious, "I'm pretty sure he's going to bring that girl with him." He said, looking to Erik who only gave a confused blink in response, "You know, _that_ girl."

It took several moments for the information to click in his brain, but when it did Erik couldn't help the facepalm and the snicker that quickly followed, "Yeah, wow. Tonight's gonna be a show alright."

Whilst the two basketball players giggled between one another, Kagura's eyes darted from one to the other and back again, clueless, "You two care to explain?" She inquired, folding her arms beneath her sizeable breasts.

"Oh, Mavis…" Natsu muttered in between laughs, remembering the first time _that_ girl had come to watch them practice, " _Gray-samaaaaa~_ " They burst out laughing again, the image of the face their SG made that time too funny to ignore.

Erik, on the other hand, noticed the pointed glare directed their way courtesy of his girlfriend. He waved her off, trying to find room to speak in between laughing fits, "It's… you'll see… trust me, it's fucking hilarious."

Her only response to this was a tired sigh; she hated waiting, honestly. Especially when the guys seemed to be having so much fun just thinking about it. She eventually turned to the many dishes set out on the kitchen table, humming to herself, "Should we get these to the living room?"

"Shit, the time." Natsu cursed, noticing that it was already eight forty.

"What, you got somewhere else to be?" His roommate questioned curiously.

"Yeah, I said I'd meet Lucy half-way here since she doesn't really know where we live." Purposefully or accidentally, Natsu wouldn't say, but he completely ignored the shared smirks from both Kagura and her boyfriend, knowing all too well what they were about to say.

Natsu was already dressed for the occasion; he was wearing a long-sleeved checked black and red flannel, making sure to roll the sleeves up to his elbows since his arms being restricted like that annoyed him, a plain white tank underneath that was tucked into slim-fit, borderline skinny black jeans. He quickly put on a pair of white sneakers, and slipped on his light-brown parka. He zipped it up, lazily wrapped a white, seemingly scaly scarf over his neck, and quickly shoved on a light-brown beanie.

"Not half bad." He heard from the side, turning to meet Kagura's gaze, a smile on her face, "Now if only you'd actually tried to look good, she'd already be yours." The violet haired female mused, chuckling to herself when she saw Natsu roll his eyes. She quickly fixed up his scarf and beanie, making sure the kid looked presentable, "There, all better."

"Thanks, _mom_." He commented with some irritation, though mentally he couldn't help thanking her. Erik had gotten together with her over a year and a half ago, right before the start of the last academic year. Kagura had come to visit Erza, a really good friend, who was living together with Jellal. The two of them met when Kagura came to practice to drop something off for Jellal that Erza didn't have the time to, and Natsu honestly had to bite down a series of howling laughs when he remembered the look on his roommate's face.

' _Yo, I think I see a goddess right there. I'm sober, right? Am I sober?_ '

' _Yeah, sadly. Just dead in the brain._ '

' _Ay, the fuck's that supposed to mean?_ '

The two of them had a bit of a… rocky start, to say the least. Erik's flirting skills were good, Natsu had to admit, but that girl was like a stone cold killer in regards to someone trying to hit on her – something that _now_ Erik appreciated. Natsu would've probably cut his own balls off and turned transgender if he himself went through that. What? All the kids do that nowadays, right?

Anyway, things managed to eventually start looking up for the redhead. Kagura never explicitly said what it was, but Natsu guessed it was because of how stubborn his roommate could be at times. If he set a goal for himself, he'd be damned if he didn't achieve it. Kagura just so happened to become one of those goals. The dude literally tried to get under her skin almost every single day, and Natsu was surprised how the girl hadn't called the police on him.

Eventually, Erik's… 'persistence,' which was bordering stalking at one point, paid off. Kagura had somehow became curious and, well, 'flattered by how much he tried,' so she gave him a shot, and they managed to click.

In Natsu's case, the two of them actually managed to become really good friends. Kagura didn't visit too often because of work and other stuff, but when she did Natsu and she would end up talking about shit that he wouldn't even talk to Erik about. She had that effect on people, somehow. If he were to be painstakingly honest, Kagura was probably one of the very few things that helped Natsu out when karma decided to fuck his life up.

If he ever had an older sister, Kagura would definitely be the closest thing resembling one.

"Alright, go. Before you're late." The female urged, waking Dragneel from his musings with a light shove towards the door.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm going. Be back in, like… dunno, twenty or someshit." Natsu didn't even look back to see her reply, but instead just darted down the stairway. Moments later he was outside, and paused momentarily. _It's fucking freezing!_ he thought, annoyed. A few days ago it had suddenly decided to go sub-zero and started snowing. Sure, he was glad to see a White Christmas, but this was ridiculous.

He sighed out a steamy breath before checking his phone. There was an unread text from Lucy, _I'm heading out now. Meet soon?_ A small smile morphed his features before he typed up a quick _on my way,_ and pocketed his phone before shooting into a stride.

…a stride that was quickly and abruptly stopped when Natsu slipped on some ice, flipped, and his ass hit the ground. _Hard_.

It was then that he realized that maybe sneakers weren't the best choice for this weather.

That and he had an extremely strong urge to punch Gray, for some awkward reason.


	11. Chapter 11

_**A/N:** I told you this would be fucking longer. Holy shit, I'm so damn rusty writing chapters as lengthy as this. This was a bitch to do. Seriously, it's five AM. Hope you're fucking happy. Oh, and I have a poll up on my profile regarding length and shit. Go check it out. Although, I'm just gonna go and say that I'll do whatever the hell I want regardless of the outcome. I'm just curious, to be honest. Teehee._

 _Oh, and based on how the Warriors actually lost, can you tell how bad I am at guessing who wins? Fuck me, I lost so much money on this shit._

 _Anyway. Do me a favor and review. This shit needs some love, yo!_

* * *

 _ **Hangover**_

* * *

Walking along the sidewalks of Magnolia's main street, Lucy hummed to herself, the air expunged from her lungs appearing in front of her in the form of disappearing light grey steam. Her pace was slow as she, unlike a certain pinket, didn't want to slip on some random ice and end up on the ground with an aching butt. The female's eyes drifted to the surrounding scenery, a small smile making its way to her lips at the sight of the many Christmas decorations adorning the large variety of shops surrounding her, the entire place being illuminated by the seemingly insurmountable number of Christmas lights hoisted atop the trees, wrapped around their branches like a form of armor.

Lucy liked Christmas. It was like the city itself dressed for the occasion, not to mention the holiday spirit that was practically _oozing_ out of everywhere. It was dearly enticing, not to mention contagious; she couldn't help the feeling of warmth welling up within her.

The streets were mostly barren aside from several couples that were out on dates and stuff. It was Christmas Eve – everyone and their mother were spending time with their family and friends. She grimaced at the thought, yet quickly forced it down, refocusing on the event at hand.

She'd be spending her Christmas with Natsu and his friends. Ever since her mother passed away, the girl had never celebrated Christmas with anyone other than herself. Frankly, Lucy didn't know what to expect, but she knew that Natsu and the others were good people. Maybe she'd be able to enjoy this holiday, for once? She didn't know, but she was hoping for the best.

And the thought reaffirmed itself in her mind when she saw the guy in question running towards her.

"H-hey." Natsu stammered out between breaths, almost slipping as he came to a stop in front of her. He leaned forward and supported himself with his hands on his knees, trying to control his breathing.

The girl chuckled lightly, "You didn't have to run, you know?"

"Yeah, well, I wanted to-" _see you_ , he wanted to say, but quickly bit it down. Oh thank Mavis his lack of breath was helping him by cutting him off. Head rising, Natsu's onyx eyes focused on the blonde female's form, widening ever so slightly at her appearance. She was wearing a white winter parka, left completely unzipped, revealing a long and loose red shoulderless blouse underneath. Black winter leggings covered her legs, together with the addition of red leg warmers going from her knees to her feet, all tucked into light-brown Timberland boots. She also wore a loose grey beanie over her head which left a good few locks of bright blonde hair falling over her eyes, and a knitted ash grey muffler left loose around her neck.

Natsu quickly realized he was staring, and coughed into his fist before smiling at her, "You look nice."

"Thanks." Heartfilia smiled back at him, head darting up to meet his eyes as he was about a whole foot taller than her, "You don't look too shabby yourself." She added, inspecting his form from head to toe. She was a bit curious as to what Natsu was going to say before he abruptly cut himself off, but she didn't push it.

A grin was the response she got, "Yo, you want to get some coffee?"

"Aren't we supposed to go to your place?"

Natsu just shrugged, "I mean, between me running here and Erik getting everything set up, I figure we still got half an hour or so to kill. Might as well get there when everything's primed, you know?"

Lucy just shook her head at this, clearly amused, "You just don't want to work for it, do you?" When he shrugged again, she just giggled and nodded, "Where to, lazypants?"

Natsu glared at her weakly, "I _did_ actually help them out, you know?" He said, yet didn't push the conversation further when he saw the blonde sticking her tongue out. Then he hummed to himself, "Oh, I know. There's this coffee shop a few blocks from here. Opened a few weeks ago; Hacker's Lounge. Weird-ass name, I know, but I'm pretty sure they work today."

"I've been there before." Lucy admitted, prompting Natsu to turn to her, a curious _really?_ escaping his throat, making her nod, "Yeah. Between studying and my part-time job, I _really_ needed the caffeine to keep me going. Ugh, political economy." She said as they walked towards their destination, noticing how Natsu paled at the mention of studying, making her chuckle at his misery, "Okay, no talking about studies. Got it."

"It's Winter Break, after all." The fiery-haired individual said through a sigh. Suddenly, a question came to mind. Something he had wanted but kept forgetting to ask, "Say, you never told me about your job."

"Eh?" She paused temporarily, as if in thought, "With kids, mostly." She stated, and Natsu nodded for her to continue as they were gradually getting closer to the coffee shop, "Tutoring and things like that. Languages, history, literature, things like that."

"…that must be _so_ interesting. Is studying and teaching _all_ you do?" The pinket joked with a roll of his eyes, snickering when she poked him with her elbow.

"Hey, I'll have you know they enjoy my classes. Lots of parents keep thanking me for them and I hear their grades have gotten waaaaaaay better in school." She argued, and Natsu couldn't help but snicker again.

"Whatever you say, professor blondie." Lucy just sighed at him before lightly shoving him towards the inside of the shop when they were close to it. The place was relatively empty aside the few couples that were there. Neither of them really felt awkward or embarrassed because of this since this isn't your stupidly written stutter-of-a-romance story. Heh.

Like they had before, Natsu chose a Cappuccino, Lucy went for a Late, "Merry Christmas to you too." Heartfilia smiled to the cashier lady, taking her change and leaving it in her wallet before pocketing the item in her purse, "Let's go?" Lucy questioned as she turned over her shoulder, noticing that her companion was staring at a TV screen with a rather… _different_ expression than what she was used to seeing on him.

He looked angry.

Borderline _snarling_.

Quirking an eyebrow at this, the female followed his gaze, noticing the news were on. A reporter had been explaining the current status of the economy and whatnot. He had dark hair, dark eyes, extremely pale skin, and what looked like a rather sickly complexion. But that wasn't what caught her attention. It was his last name.

 _Dragneel._

Lucy's eyes widened slightly when it hit her, _Natsu's relative? A cousin, maybe?_ She thought to herself curiously, turning back to the pinket. The look he had on his person… it wasn't something you would show someone you're related to. Natsu, in all honesty, looked like he was ready to _kill_. Just the sight of the dark haired individual on the TV screen looked like it had ignited a pure form of hatred in him the blonde had only ever seen in her father.

And it unnerved her.

"N-Natsu…?" She called out, grasping at his sleeve, "Hey, Natsu?"

The Dragneel that was in front of her was immediately awoken from his stupor. He turned to her, his angered expression still very much intact; a glare so fierce it looked like it was going to devour her whole. However, that quickly faded. Natsu realized how uneasy she had become because of this sudden overflow of his inner emotions, and he shook his head, covering his face with his free palm.

"S-sorry…" He said quickly, directing his previous anger at himself, _Goddamnit, Natsu. Get your shit together!_ Natsu howled at himself inwardly, annoyed that he let himself be manipulated by that asshole again. He finally turned to the girl, forcing a smile, "Yeah, uuuh…" Boy this was awkward, "So that happened."

Heartfilia kept staring at him for a good few moments. Maybe she was waiting for some sort of explanation – she couldn't tell herself. But what she did know, however, was that Natsu wasn't going to tell her anything else. Not now. And, like with a lot of things, Lucy didn't push the subject. Unlike other things, though, this matter was clearly one that pushed Natsu over the edge in more ways than one, and she didn't feel comfortable asking about it. That didn't mean she wasn't worried. On the contrary. She was worried enough that she would ignore the discomfort and eventually ask.

But not today.

Today was Christmas.

And they were going to celebrate it properly.

Collecting herself and getting her mind out of the gutter, Lucy made eye contact with the pinket, and smiled at him warmly, "You alright?"

Natsu would be lying if he said he wasn't taken aback by this, but then again Lucy surprised him on a lot of fronts, this being only one of them. The way she didn't ask him any questions at first made him think she just didn't give a shit. However, that worried expression she had shown him just seconds ago made him realize that it was backwards; the girl looked like she cared _too much_. She just didn't want to burden him by forcing him to answer, perhaps. He couldn't tell.

And for that he was painfully grateful.

He nodded, smiling, "Let's go?"

"Yeah."

* * *

The walk back to Natsu's place was mostly uneventful. The duo of the pinket and Lucy had remained relatively silent. Natsu seemed rather on edge ever since he saw the news broadcast back at the café, and Lucy frankly seemed borderline scared to ask him about it. She didn't know what happened between him and his relative, but even she knew that he didn't get this angry. Ever. Regardless of the fact that she didn't know him all that well.

In the back of her head Lucy couldn't help but wonder what the guy did to piss him off so much.

It was getting awkward at a quick pace, and, luckily for both of them, Natsu noticed this and struck up a conversation occasionally. Finals were the highlight of their chosen topics, although it was mostly Natsu bitching about how stupid they could get.

"Oh, remember that one time the professor said the exam would mostly consist of true/false and short answer questions?"

"Yeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaaaah, and then, BOOM, we get ten essay questions. Whoop-dee-fuckin'-doo."

"And we're not going to talk about the fact that we haven't covered the material for at least three of those, right?"

"Nope. I'm fairly certain I'm bordering cancer already."

"What about the take-home finals?"

"…Canceeeeeeeer, _baby_! I'm home!"

" _And_ the summaries for our final projects?"

"You know, this is probably why people call me an alcoholic."

"Not because of your horrendous life choices?"

"…shut up."

Between crying and laughing, the choice was neigh-impossible to make for either of them.

It was around ten after nine by the time they reached Natsu's place. Lucy heaved out an uneasy breath, feeling as though she had been holding it in for quite some time. Natsu turned back to her, curious, "Nervous?"

"Yeah, just a bit." She admitted, giving him a soft smile. It had been a while since Lucy spent Christmas with someone. _Anyone_. And now she'd be spending it with people she hardly knew. Sure, she knew the pinket to a degree, but it wasn't like they were super acquainted.

Chuckling to himself quietly, Natsu showed her a wide and toothy grin before ruffling her hair, surprising her and, well, making her pout, "Don't worry, they're cool… sort of. Steer clear of that piss-for-brains Gray, though. I'm almost a hundred and ten percent sure whatever mental illness that retard's got is contagious."

The giggle that left the blonde female was almost automatic, "Noted." She replied as Natsu unlocked the door and they let themselves into his apartment.

Lucy inspected the place with a mildly curious gaze as they entered and Natsu locked the door behind them. It was a rather modern three room apartment; two bedrooms, and a living room that was connected with the kitchen. What surprised Lucy the most, though, was the fact that it had three bathrooms; one in the hall near the entry to the apartment, and one for either of the bedrooms. Somewhat overkill, but she reckoned it was convenient. All in all it looked fairly cozy. Costly, too, but Natsu decided to shed light on the fact that the place belonged to Laxus' grandfather and they were just renting it out with something of a discount.

Natsu was quick to both hang up his jacket and do the same with Lucy's. They kicked off their shoes and made for the living room, being greeted by the sight of a smirking Erik and a smiling Kagura.

"Yo." The aforementioned redhead greeted, giving Heartfilia a lazy salute.

"Good evening." Lucy replied somewhat uneasily, offering a small smile in greeting. Now she was honestly at a bit of a loss. Should she just sit down at the table? Which was pretty damn packed with food and drinks, by the way. Maybe she should introduce herself? She didn't know. Quite frankly Lucy was a bit awkward whenever she was meeting new people. The fact that Natsu decided to go to the bathroom and leave her alone didn't help matters either.

"You're Lucy, right?" The female next to Erik questioned as she quickly stood up and moved towards the blonde. Lucy nodded, and the dark-violet haired woman offered the girl a warm smile, "I'm Kagura. It's a nice to finally get to know you in person."

Lucy quirked a confused brow at the word _finally_ , and Erik could barely restrain a grin when he heard the bathroom's door open, "You and Natsu _are_ dating, right?"

Natsu's abnormally sensitive ears picked this up, and he honestly almost choked on his own saliva when his brain registered the question. He peeked around the corner, an irritated frown manifesting itself on his face when he saw Kagura talking to the blonde and Erik giggling like a little girl.

Heartfilia was a bit taken aback by the question but, surprisingly, hadn't lost her cool. She gave a light chuckle as a response, "No, we… we don't know each other _that_ well, to be honest." She answered, and something tickled at the back of the pinket's head.

 _Hey, she didn't use the whole 'we're just friends' shtick. Huh._ He mused inwardly, a bit curious of the whole predicament.

"O-oh…" Kagura paused, a bit surprised by her words. And yet, inwardly, she couldn't lie that she was amused, "Well you two will have plenty of time to get to know each other tonight."

Erik almost doubled over laughing.

Lucy offered an awkward smile.

Natsu just rolled his eyes.

 _Fucking typical._

" _Kagura_." Natsu _greeted_ as he made his presence known from around the corner, giving the female an annoyed glare whilst she showed him a sly smirk, "I need a drink. Beer okay with you?"

Lucy nodded in response before Natsu went to the kitchen, opened the fridge, and took out two bottles. Skillfully, he pushed one against the other, loosening both caps before simply opening them with the short nails of his thumbs, "Oi, gimme one too." He heard Erik call out, and the pinket quickly fished out another bottle and tossed it to the redhead, "Not gonna open mine?"

"Do it yourself, asshat." Dragneel replied, borderline growling, forcing the redhead to sigh at his antics and begrudgingly open his own bottle.

"Stingy douche."

Natsu bonked him over the head.

"Oi."

"…are they always like this?" Lucy questioned the other female in the room, pointing her index finger at the two childishly arguing forwards.

Kagura gave a sharp _hah_ at the question, "Like you wouldn't believe. You know how there's the level of the arguing married couple, right? Those two are worse. It's like they love each other beyond normal human comprehension."

"Hey, I don't love this frizzy cunt."

"But you love my dick though, pinky."

"The fuck did you just say? Couldn't hear you over the sound of all those nuts you've been choking on."

"See what I mean?" Kagura couldn't resist the urge to facepalm, and Lucy… well, let's just say Lucy was both appalled and amused by the sight, rolling her eyes and laughing. Soon enough the girls were forced to get Erik and Natsu off of each other as they got into their usual scuffle, "They're a handful sometimes- _most of the time_."

"…I can see how that's a thing- get _off_ of him, Natsu!" The blonde girl groaned as she tried to pull the pinket's hand off of Erik's throat, already feeling thoroughly done with their bullshit.

"B-but this guy-"

" _Natsu._ " Dragneel literally cringed at the tone Lucy used. Turning over his shoulder, he froze when he saw the death-promising glare she exposed him to, and he was positively convinced that not even Erza was able of something that volatile. Gulping down, Natsu quickly nodded, whilst Kagura, on the other hand, found this amusing. And several other adjectives that made her giggle.

"Serves you right, fuckface." Erik growled as he rubbed his cheek which had been punched by Natsu. He, however, was made painfully aware of two pairs of eyes that were directed at him dangerously. Cringing, he noticed how both Kagura and Lucy were glaring at him after his last comment, and he muttered a quick _S-sorry!_ before making to calmly sit next to Natsu, both of their heads down.

The girls shared a collective sigh.

"And you deal with this on a daily basis?"

"More like hourly."

The two had eventually settled down, and what people were present took their seats on the couch next to the table. Kagura and Lucy were making conversation, getting to know each other, whilst Erik eyed them curiously. This little escapade he just had with Natsu, despite how completely idiotic it was, served to somehow help her ease into the group. Well, there were still people on the way, but regardless of that it gave some kind of ground for Lucy to be able to talk to Kagura without it being awkward at all, which was honestly a good thing. He had to wonder, though…

The SF looked to Natsu, noticing how he was browsing stupid shit on _9gag_ on his phone.

Nope, what he did was definitely not intentional.

After five or so minutes the doorbell rang. A somewhat annoyed Gajeel and a curious yet distant Levy joined in. Natsu noticed how Lucy's eyes were almost instantly locked on the bluenette, and he smirked to himself, leaning towards the blonde.

"You should talk to her." He whispered, giving her a light bump with his elbow.

Lucy jumped in her seat, almost making the pinket howl with laughter, "N-no. It's alright, I mean…"

"Lucy?" Levy's voice interrupted the blonde, and she turned to the girl, bewildered, "Lucy Heartfilia?" Confused, she momentarily lost herself before hastily nodding, responding with a rushed _Y-Yeah! Yes! I'm Lucy!_ , making the blue haired female smile at her, "Natsu told me about you. Said you really liked my notes?"

"Uh…" She blinked, stumped, "Huh?" The blonde's hazel eyes trailed to Natsu who had an extremely large shit-eating grin on his face.

"Thank me later." He winked at her and moved to greet Gajeel. Well, 'greet' wasn't the right word since the duo almost got into a fight, to which none of the females, aside from Kagura, really reacted to. The dark-violet haired female instantly promised death to either of the two, taking a knife made for cutting food in her hands, forcing them to sweat bullets and settle down. Lucy and Levy, on the other hand, instantly hit it off, discussing finals, papers, projects and whatnot.

"Neeeeeeeeeeeerds." Gajeel hummed, smirking in amusement whilst both Natsu and Erik were nodding their heads in agreement.

Levy was about to reply something, but a lout _–please, Gray-sama!_ interrupted her.

Lucy swore she had never seen Natsu almost cry from laughter like he did.

Fullbuster, together with a girl who the blonde knew was named Juvia Lockser, came into the apartment as well. Gray looked absolutely done with the phenomena known as life whilst Juvia was holding onto his arm for dear life, her mind swimming in the colossal cesspool that were her thoughts filled with _Gray-samaaaaaaa!_

The last arriving duo joined the small group, and the small party began. The girls were talking about their finals experiences. Kagura, who had already graduated college a year ago, recited her damnable experience regarding her bachelor's thesis and how much of a pain in the ass it was while Lucy and Levy just nodded their heads and spoke about how their time in college wasn't any different, really. And Juvia… well, Juvia was doing Juvia things. Like staring deeply into Gray's eyes. And his hair. And his arms. And body. And… just staring at Gray in general. You get the picture.

The guys were discussing basketball, collectively trying to figure out who the hell this new coach Laxus went to talk to was supposed to be. It had honestly surprised them when Jellal came out with the news that there was someone coming to FTU who could possibly help them out and make them a better unit. They were skeptical, but weren't really opposed to the idea. Aside from Gray, anyway. Gray was too busy trying not to cringe from Juvia's gaze.

"Why the fuck did you tell me to bring her here?"

Erik grinned, "Because you have _needs_ , Gray."

The brunet's face paled, and Gajeel just barked out a laugh, "You obviously haven't bumped uglies in a while. If ever."

"What does 'bumping uglies' mean, Gray-sama?" Juvia questioned, looking both confused and interested.

It was then that Natsu had utterly lost it.

And he was drinking his beer at the same time, as fate would have it.

Suffice it to say the drink ended up on Gajeel as the pinket burst out laughing almost maniacally.

Lucy turned to the sight before her. Erik fell off the couch, laughing his ass off. Gajeel had stood up and held Natsu by the collar, throwing insults at him left and right whilst the pinket could barely muster up replies in between laughter. Gray hid his face in his palms, which did very little to hide the red on his cheeks. Juvia was checking up if the guy was alright. Kagura was sighing to herself tiredly, yet was still smiling. And Levy was just giggling quietly while shaking her head.

Now, I'm once again going to mention that other, horrendous animu universe where Lucy's reaction would've most likely been feeling some sort of fuzzy feeling in her chest and tearing up, by which point Natsu would've asked if she was alright, grinned, and welcomed her to the group, or something along those lines.

That's obviously not the case here.

See, in the real world, people hide their emotions. Especially when crying is involved. Remember this well, kiddies, before somebody thinks you're retarded. While, yeah, Lucy did feel happy, she, however, just laughed along with everybody else. She did find the sight endearing, that's a given, and she did think that these people were good and she'd love to become a part of this group. But it won't go to cheese so horribly that she'd start crying. And, Mavis, this isn't something to fucking cry over.

Deal with it.

After that whole chaotic scene, the evening continued. The small group of eight eventually pushed the table aside to host a little Secret Santa game. However, this one was a bit different from what people would normally do with the whole drawing random names out of a box. Erik fished out a large paper dice Kagura had made while Natsu went to get Lucy, and they all stood in a small circle, each holding the present they bought for the occasion.

The rules were simple: each person had to try the dice, and if they got an even number like two, four or six they could take someone else's present for themselves. The gimmick was an interesting twist, especially considering that some of the people present bought small bottles of liquor as presents. Gray had tried to swipe all three bottles for himself and drink them, all alone and brooding. The rationale he gave for this was because of, well… that's probably fairly obvious. That didn't fly, however, as Kagura, true to her OOC personality, made things difficult for the brunet by constantly trying to steal the bottles in his possession, all the while laughing at his misery whenever he lost one of his treasures.

The game went on for a good long while and, eventually, everyone ended up with a random present. Surprisingly, no one was left out, which was rather unusual for this type of game.

Gray ended up sobbing, cursing Mavis and everything else while Kagura laughed and Natsu made fun of him. Admittedly, Fullbuster and the aforementioned fiery haired Dragneel almost got into a fight because of this, which would be the third fight for the evening. Lucy wasn't even surprised by them at that particular point.

"Oh, I know." Erik spoke up, a grin making its way to his lips, "How about we play _that_." He offered, and the faces of Natsu, Gray, and Gajeel paled.

"Please, no."

"How about you go fuck yourself?"

"Yooo. Fuck that."

"Play what?"

Natsu groaned _very_ overdramatically when Lucy inquired about _that_. The girl was already somewhat tipsy. So much so that she even asked about _that_. Normally, he knew Lucy wouldn't have wanted to pry. And Gods, now was not the time.

The grin their red haired SF sported only grew at this as he moved to sit next to Lucy and slung an arm around her, pulling her close, "Okay, you see that?" He asked, pointing to the TV and the PlayStation 4 below it, "See, me and the boys often play NBA2k16. It's a basketball game, which you've probably heard about once or twice." The girl nodded, "But, the normal games aren't enough. We've played that shit over a bazillion times already. Just dunking on the other guy's gotten boring real fucking fast, y'know?"

Okay, Lucy could see how that made sense.

"So, we decided to put some wagers behind it." His grin grew, "And that is how _that_ was born." Erik's eyes drifted to Lucy, glee welling up inside him when he realized how positively enthusiastic she started to seem at the game. This poor, poor naïve girl.

"Think you can handle it?"

"Luce, no. Please, say no-"

"I'll do it." She beamed, and Natsu's jaw almost literally went slack, _Goddamnit, woman._

"Great!" Erik laughed as he shot up on his feet, taking up a thinking pose, "Okay, you're paired up with Natsu." A quiet _fuck my life_ was heard from the pinket's general direction, "But we need another one… Oh! I know!" He turned to Gajeel, and the PG facepalmed and sighed as Erik grinned and pointed to him and Levy, "You two."

"I fucking hate you." Gajeel growled, and Levy only looked between the duo, feeling thoroughly lost. It couldn't be that bad, right?

Oh hell yeah it could.

"Alrighty then!" Erik clapped his hands together and started up the game, all the while grinning, "Okay, so, since the girls don't know, I'll explain the rules." He went on, "Gajeel and Natsu will play each other with whichever teams of their choosing. One match, six minutes per quarter. The main point of this game is… whenever someone scores, the team that got scored on both drink a shot." That singular rule, albeit while it took a while, finally sunk into Lucy's brain, and she instantly felt like throwing up, "A two is a point zero two. A three is a point zero five. If you manage a proper three point play through a foul, it's the same as a three. And if you manage a four point play when you get fouled while throwing a three and make it…" He turned to Natsu, grinning because he knew Gajeel was _particularly_ good at sinking those, "You drink a point one."

Lucy finally realized the horrible mistake she made when Natsu turned to her, a deadpan look on his face, "S-Sorry?"

He shook his head, "Sorry won't cut it this time, professor blondie. We either play, or this asshole won't let us hear the end of it."

"Exactly!" The redhead spoke aloud, sounding much too happy for either Natsu or Gajeel's liking.

"You're evil." Kagura said, shaking her head in amusement.

"Gray-sama?"

"…Mavis, help me."

Begrudgingly, the duo of Natsu and Gajeel went to sit in front of the TV, both taking up controllers. The girls sat behind them, pretty much looking scared for their lives. Or livers. Whichever works, really. Erik was already in the process of fishing out over ten shot glasses from the kitchen cabinet, setting them down on the table.

Natsu grabbed two bottles of Skittles vodka; the ones he liked most – lime and strawberry. If they were going to be practically drowning in these, at least it would taste good. He handed Lucy his own favorite, which was the green one, "Here, take this. Trust me, it's the best of the batch." Lucy nodded as she took the offered item and placed it close to her person.

"Hey, you're not supposed to drink anything below forty."

"This is vodka, you dumbass. It's _exactly_ forty." He said adamantly, giving Erik the evil eye. The SF stared at his teammate somewhat suspiciously, eventually shrugging. Truth be told, between the skittles and the skittle jizz filtering, the drink probably lost some of its punch, but Erik didn't need to know that.

Finally, the game was on. Gajeel picked the current Warriors team to rack up threes and those four-point plays, and Natsu decided on the 1999-2000 Lakers, wanting to have a healthy mixture of jumpers and physical play. Seriously, neither of the guys had _ever_ put so much thought in playing 2k16. If it weren't for the fact that Lucy and Levy had to drink with them, they'd probably set the teams to random and go wild. But they didn't want the girls to get too drunk. Well, one of them, at least, since one of them was obviously going to lose.

Little did they know that Erik was banking on that.

 _These dumbasses don't even know the meaning of defense_ , he mused inwardly, chuckling to himself. Both Natsu and Gajeel were extremely skilled offensive players at the game, but their defense was lackluster. This would end up being a run and gun game on both sides of the court, and that was proven when Natsu got the first dunk. Gajeel cursed under his breath as he and Levy were forced to take the first series of shots.

 _ **(A/N:**_ _Don't try this at home, kids. I did, and, well… let's just say it went horribly. I'm surprised I didn't need a liver transplant or someshit. **)**_

Gajeel wouldn't go down without a fight, though. Of course not, it was the first fucking shot of the game, for Heaven's sake. And he did _exactly_ what Natsu thought he would. He wanted a four point play, but Natsu instinctively darted back with Kobe, trying to avoid the foul. The three went in, but at least it wasn't what it could've been.

A sigh escaped Natsu as he took up his shot glass, noticing that Erik had already lined over five up since he soon wouldn't be able to keep up with the serving. He turned to Lucy, feeling sorry for the girl who had clear indications of dread on her face, "…bottoms up?" Albeit uneasily, the girl replied with a _Y-yeah…_ before chugging down the shot, being closely followed by Natsu.

The pinket enjoyed the taste, honestly. His dark eyes once again looked to Lucy, noticing that, whilst her face did wrinkle up ever so slightly due to the remaining burn caused by the vodka, it definitely wasn't as bad as it would've been if it was the pure version of the drink.

Gods that would've sucked.

It sucked enough as it was.

And fuck was Natsu surprised when Lucy was starting to _get into it_.

By the time the first quarter was over, the blonde was already buzzed. The end score was 28-34 in Gajeel's favor, and both the girl and the fiery haired Dragneel were feeling the burn, having finished one of the two point five bottles.

"That's a foul! Referee! What are you doing?!" Heartfilia yelled, leaning over Natsu's shoulder as she pushed her fist forward. This made Natsu get pumped, yeah, but her tits, which were quite literally rubbing against the side of his face, were one hell of a distraction.

"Psh. No it wasn't. Gajeel's defense was just better!" Levy, shockingly, argued, glaring at Lucy who gave an equally dangerous evil-eye back.

"Like hell it was! That was clearly a reach-in!"

Natsu and Gajeel made eye contact, and neither of them knew how to react to this. On one front seeing those two go at it was hilarious on too many levels to count; on another it was so damn depressing when they realized they had three more quarters of this to go.

Erik, on the other hand, was having a blast and was laughing his ass off. Kagura could instantly guess what he was doing, aside from the usual search of shits and giggles. She figured the guy was trying to get Natsu and Lucy together. And yet, in her mind, she didn't think that would work. If it was that simple Natsu would've already slept with her ages ago. Going by the few conversations Kagura had with the blonde, this girl might have struck the pinket in ways only one person has ever before.

And that made her smile.

As for Gray and Juvia… ugh.

Ever been in that awkward situation when a guy or girl is just all over you and won't leave you alone even if you just randomly flat out shat yourself in the middle of the room? Yeah, it's annoying as balls.

Second quarter in, the barrage of scoring and drinking followed. Gajeel managed to get off a four point play, and Natsu almost tossed his controller across the room in response to this. Half of the quarter wasn't even over before the second bottle was gone, and they had to get another one. Orange, this time around.

"Kobe!" Natsu shouted when he actually managed to force a four point play himself, grinning at Gajeel's misery as Lucy stuck her tongue out, still very much leaning on Natsu's shoulders from behind him.

Some fouls and curse words later, the first half was over and done with. Gajeel went for a smoke to clear his brain, and Natsu decided to stretch. As soon as he stood up, he felt dizzy. The alcohol hit him all at once, "Oh, fuck. This is going to end very, _very_ badly." He looked to Lucy, giving a rather humorless _hah_ at the sight.

She looked so damn happy it was weird.

No, seriously. She was acting like a cat. _Like a fucking cat._

"Natsuuuu… pet me!"

 _Wait, did she just- did I fucking hear that right?_

"Meow!"

 _Oh my fucking God._

Natsu could very barely suppress a cringe. Slowly, almost painfully, he moved to gently scratch her chin.

"Meow~"

It was then that Natsu Dragneel voluntarily poured three shots for himself and downed them all in a row.

"Gray-samaaaaaaaaaaa!"

Add two more.

Luckily, Gajeel was a quick smoker, so they ended up continuing the match before Natsu got drunk all by his lonesome self. The girls kept getting into the game as quarter three ended, and Natsu managed to tear down Gajeel's lead to just two points.

"You remember what happens to the loser, right?" Dragneel questioned through a grin as he turned to the dark haired male, noticing how his eyes narrowed.

"You're on, pinky."

"Bite me, jackass."

Their focus through the roof, both players completely zoned out what was happening around them. The cheers, the tits in their faces, the drinks, everything. The amount of concentration that went into a video game almost resembled entering the zone in an actual match.

The conclusion was sudden when that last clutch three hit the bucket without even stirring the rim.

Gajeel cursed aloud.

Natsu grinned victoriously.

"That moment when you hit a three with Shaq. Fucking _Shaq_."

"Oh shove that shit back up your asshole." The red-eyed point guard snarled, the alcohol working on his more aggressive side as Natsu's facial expression hit every red flag to piss him the hell off.

However, that was swiftly quelled when Erik's arm wrapped around Gajeel's shoulder, "Gajeeeeeeeeel." Erik borderline _purred_ , making the PG cringe before dread washed over him. He looked to the completely wiped out Levy who seemed to be in her own little world by this point.

"…fine." The dark haired individual said begrudgingly as he moved to the fridge and fished out an open beer bottle, "How old is this?"

"Two, maybe three months?"

"I still don't get why the fuck would you keep beer this old in your fridge."

"Why, exactly for this reason, G. You should know this."

Without saying anything else, Gajeel just chugged it… and literally almost gagged. The kicker of this game was that, if you lost, you had to chug a beer. Being as drunk as you would obviously already be after such a game, this was a guaranteed nail in the coffin. Not to mention the fact that Erik usually decided to spice it up by making the beer disgusting as fuck due to age.

"No, seriously. You're Satan incarnate."

"Thank you, love." Erik replied to Kagura's comment, grinning.

"NOW!" Natsu yelled as he slammed both of his hands on Erik's shoulders from behind. _Hard_ , "It's _your_ fucking turn."

The redhead blinked several times, being caught off guard, "Wait, what? But-"

"No fucking buts." Natsu growled, glaring holes down at his roommate, "You made us go through this bullshit. Now it's your turn, you cockbite."

Erik very visibly cringed at this, and tried looking to Kagura for support. The female just shrugged, mentally noting that Erik dug this grave for himself. Then he looked to Gray, noticing that he actually smiled at this, "Dude, what the fuck-why?"

Fullbuster shrugged, "I want to get drunk. So. Goddamn. Drunk. I think the reason is obvious."

"Gray-sama!"

"…point taken." Erik sighed, messing up his own hair, "AGH! FINE!"

However, before they could start, something slammed against the table. Erik paled when he noticed the bottles Natsu brought from their bar.

Fireball and Patrón.

They were fucked.

He looked to Gray once more, who yet again shrugged, "I see absolutely no problem with this."

"…motherfucker."

As soon as the first quarter was over, Erik looked like he was about to puke, and Kagura was furious with him for sucking so much at the game. So much so that she almost stole the controller right from under him. Gray was in bliss, feeling the hot liquid going down his throat overshadow the slender hands that kept deviating dangerously close to his crotch.

"…I sometimes think he's gay."

"I always thought he was, to be honest." Natsu replied, making Gajeel chuckle. Both of them exchanged glances before looking towards their female 'teammates,' noticing how positively drunk they were, "This… is going to be annoying."

"Tell me about it."

It wasn't like the two of them weren't buzzed. Hell, to anyone else they'd probably seem sober. They were the luckiest type of alcoholic. The ones who, if they didn't get drunk that they border liver-failure, will seem relatively cognitive and understandable.

Levy had almost passed out.

And Lucy… Lucy was like yours truly – how many times does this make it? I think I've broken the fourth wall like, what, four-to-five times in this story already? Aw, fuck it. Lucy was the type of drunk who, after reaching a certain level of drunk – AKA happy as fuck drunk – could drink however much she wanted. If she didn't drink, she'd just sober up and every single alcoholic beverage she'd taste afterwards would end up being extremely disgusting. If she continued drinking, she could literally drink barrels upon barrels of whatever and not get any drunker… until it all hit her in the head like a freight train, by which point a blackout was guaranteed.

Natsu was quickly able to realize this judging by how happily drunk she seemed. That and he was able to figure out that she was _definitely_ bordering passing out. A sigh escaped him before he chuckled to himself and looked to Kagura, who had caught on. She nodded to the pinket, and he rubbed the back of his head.

Dragneel went to crouch in front of Lucy, "Ooooh… there are two Natsus!" _...since when does alcohol make you hallucinate? Nevermind, don't answer that._

"Lucy." He said sweetly, smiling up at her, "You think it's time I got you home?"

"Don't wanna!"

Natsu's brow twitched, "Lucy."

"I. Don't. Wanna!" She pouted.

Another twitch, " _Lucy._ "

"Waaaaaaah." She whined, leaning forward and embracing the fiery haired PF, "Natsu's angry!" Lucy laughed, and Natsu sighed for what seemed like the umpteenth time before chuckling to himself.

"Have it your way." He said through a barely visible smirk. Wrapping his arms around her waist, he stood up, sweeping the girl off of her feet. Lucy only giggled before sneaking her legs around him, letting him carry her. He noticed Erik's smirking face.

"Bold."

"Shut the fuck up."

Natsu wasted no time to get Lucy into her jacket and helped her with her shoes. He then slipped into his own parka, this time also deciding on winter boots that were a bit more suited for this weather. Taking her piggyback without acknowledging her protests, Natsu went out the door, turning over his shoulder to Kagura who gave him a thumbs up before closing and locking the door behind them.

"Why is everyone in my life such a fucking asshole?"

* * *

The next half an hour or so was spent with Natsu struggling to get Lucy home. The girl was relatively loud and active all throughout the trip, treating the pinket as something close to a horse, yelling _giddy up!_ and things like that. They fell into a heap of snow several times, too. Natsu, surprisingly, wasn't even angry about that. On the contrary – he was having _fun_ , which was weird.

He hadn't had this much fun since his ex.

And my God he felt the cheese because of it.

They eventually reached Lucy's apartment complex, and Natsu made for the elevator, heading to the eighth floor. While going there he had managed to coax from Lucy her exact address and swipe her keys from her purse, "8-7… 8-7… there it is." The pinket spoke under his breath as he wandered the corridor of the eight floor, finally finding his destination. Lucy had long since fallen asleep on his back, her head leaning against his right shoulder, releasing very soft yet drunken snores, which he thought were rather cute.

The tired Power Forward shoved Lucy's key into the door and unlocked it before letting himself in. He flipped a switch to his side, letting the light from above shine down on them. The blonde on his back rustled slightly, but didn't wake up. He looked around, noticing that her apartment really was similar to his. Two bedrooms, and a living room with a connecting kitchen. Only one bathroom, though, _which actually makes a lot of sense_.

Natsu was just glad Lucy's roommate was out for Winter Break. Gods this would've been awkward if she was there.

Finally finding what looked like the blonde's room, he sat back on her bed and laid her down on the comfortable surface, gently placing the covers over her. He took a few seconds to inspect her room; several posters on the walls, lots of books, a mess of a journal on the table… _wait, a journal?_ He wondered as he approached the brown-covered book.

Now, normally, Natsu wasn't someone who snuck his nose into other peoples' private business. However, he wasn't exactly sober, so his brain wasn't operating at its nominal capacity.

That and he saw his name on the open page, which got him curious.

 _I'm going to spend Christmas with Natsu and the others at their place. I don't really know what to expect, but that doesn't mean I'm not looking forward to it! It'll be a welcome change. Ever since mom passed, I-_

It was exactly then that Natsu curbstomped himself in his mind and averted his eyes. _No, way too personal_. Finding out something like this from something as personal as Lucy's journal was definitely not the way to go. She'd get pissed at him and tell him to fuck off, most likely, and he _really_ didn't want that to happen.

Natsu scratched the back of his head, wondering what the hell he was supposed to do now. Shrugging to himself, he made for the kitchen, deciding that she'd need this when she woke up. He fished out an empty glass from her kitchen cabinet and filled it with ice-cold water, moving to her room minutes later.

What he saw was definitely not what he was expecting.

Lucy's clothes were scattered all over the place, and the girl was lying on her bed, the covers thrown away in a random direction.

And she was wearing nothing but her underwear.

 _Holy mother of-_

Gulping down some saliva that had built up in his throat, Natsu uneasily moved towards the bed. He placed the glass of water on the nightstand and then carefully, so carefully that he thought he was dealing with freaking nitroglycerin, moved to cover her body with the bedsheets lest she got cold during the night.

…when a sudden hand gripped his collar and pulled him towards the blonde.

 _Oh._

Natsu was barely fast enough to move his arms to either side of her head, supporting his own weight with his elbows so he didn't directly fall on her. His eyes, somewhat dizzy, locked on her form, widening at the sight. Her eyes were still sleepy and buzzed, a deep shade of red covering her cheeks. Her mouth was open ever so slightly, slow and heavy breaths escaping her as she gazed at the basketball player.

"Natsu…" She cooed. Borderline _purred_. And Natsu had an extremely difficult time restraining himself, which was made that much more difficult when he again realized that she was wearing nothing but this amazing pair of underwear that he swore he wanted nothing more than to rip off of her and dig into her delicious body.

Something in him, however, didn't let him do it. He knew he'd probably hate himself afterwards. And she'd probably hate him for taking advantage of her, too. He didn't want that. No, it was honestly one of the worst things he could imagine himself doing right at that moment.

And yet he himself never noticed how he was slowly leaning in towards her. His lips parted by mere millimeters, his mind going fuzzy, "Dragneel… was that… who…?"

Natsu froze on the spot, his wide eyes locked on her as she asked this one seemingly innocent question that wiped every single indecent thought from his head. He looked at her, confused and lost, "…why?"

"You… you seemed so… angry?" As the question left her mouth, Natsu hung his head in defeat, _Fuck,_ he thought to himself angrily, remembering that news broadcast he saw on TV. He let out an uneasy breath.

"That… that was my brother-" His voice caught when he saw that Lucy's eyes were closed and she was back in sandman's land. The pinket blinked several times, pretty much bewildered, before a series of quiet laughs left his throat, "Ooooh my fucking God…! This woman is driving me crazy!" He growled under his breath lowly, yet not a shred of actual animosity was in his words.

Natsu then quickly moved away from her, looking down at her half-naked form hungrily. He then actually slapped himself, "No, Goddamnit." He hissed and slipped out of his flannel before placing it over her. A smile made its way to Natsu's lips when Lucy, almost as if on instinct, made herself comfortable in his piece of clothing, wrapping it around her form.

He shook his head before placing the bedsheets over her. In a moment of weakness, Natsu froze, regarding her sleeping, delicate face, and leaned forward. His lips brushed against her temple, and he chuckled to himself quietly when the girl let out a subconscious moan, "Goodnight, Lucy. And Merry Christmas."

And when he was out of her room, the PF was faced with a dilemma: leave her to her own devices and go home, or stay the night? Well, Lucy would probably feel like shit in the morning, and he kind of wanted to help her with that since he had _plenty_ of experience dealing with hangovers. _Hah._ That and Lucy had only one pair of keys. Leaving the door unlocked was out of the question.

"…living room couch it is. Let's just hope she doesn't think I'm some kind of pervert. Mavis, help me, that's probably what's gonna fucking happen tomorrow. Fuck you, Erik. Fuck _everything_ about you."


	12. Chapter 12

_**A/N:** To all my readers residing in the UK - stay strong. You'll move past this Brexit crap._

 _Anyway, enjoy._

* * *

 _ **Hangover**_

* * *

Sleep wasn't her friend this time around. Her eyes were still groggy, her mind still half asleep, bordering consciousness and sandman's land. A soft groan escaped Lucy as she placed her hand against her forehead, feeling like complete and utter crap, her breathing slightly irregular.

Her room was dark, enclosed from the light outside by the blinds lowered over her windows. Collecting herself, the female leaned upwards into a sitting position, covering her half-naked form with whatever clothing she had on at the moment, which, to her utter surprise, was a red and black checked flannel; she was absolutely positive this wasn't hers.

The blonde's hazel eyes quickly scanned the area to confirm several things. The same wallpapers; the same furniture; the same books scattered around everywhere; and, most importantly: the very same journal lying on a familiar desk, just the way she left it.

Yup, this was her room.

So whose flannel was this?

Lucy rubbed her eyes tiredly, feeling sick to her stomach. Her head spun and pounded, and she groaned again, this time louder. She felt absolutely exhausted and filthy. What had she done last night? She could remember being at Natsu's place, playing that strange Secret Santa game. Then they started playing that basketball drinking game that Erik had suggested, and she could recall the downpour of shots it caused. Everything other than that was a blur of nonsensical images that Lucy had a very difficult time piecing together. Clearly, she had drunk too much.

How did she even get home?

 _Mavis, I haven't had this much alcohol since… ever,_ she thought inwardly, feeling a bit disgusted with herself. Despite this, she couldn't for the life of her say she didn't have fun. Heck, even Levy drank together with them, which Lucy quickly realized was extremely unusual for the bluenette. Perhaps letting go once in a while wasn't that bad, right?

It didn't take Lucy long to feel the aftereffect of last night. When she woke up she still felt rather tipsy, but now that tipsy was turning into the full malevolence of the dreaded hangover that was at her doorstep. The more she sat on her bed, the wider the proverbial hole in her stomach was getting. She exhaled sharply, feeling herself begin to sweat before she fell back on her bed, letting out a sound that was a mixture of a whine and a groan as she threw the bedsheets over herself.

But then again she knew she couldn't stay in bed like this all day; the fact that she needed to go to the bathroom only cemented that realization. An irritated gaze shot out from the covers as Heartfilia moved them away. Her hands moved around her bed, in search of her phone. A sigh left her throat when she couldn't find it, but her eyes however quickly lit up at the sight of the glass of water on her nightstand.

Darting out of bed almost instantly after noticing the item, something that seemed to be a gift sent from the heavens to alleviate the dryness in her throat, her hands moved to take hold of it, absentmindedly yet without giving a second thought knocking down a stray book that was left next to it. Scrambling to not drop what seemed to be the cure to every disease out there, Lucy put the glass to her mouth and downed it. The icy-cold liquid felt as if it was about to freeze her throat as she felt its sting, but she drank it anyway, relief quickly washing over her.

The blonde girl breathed out a quick yet deep breath of air when she was done, setting the empty glass back on the nightstand. A temporary reprieve of one of the many hangover symptoms achieved, she finally figured it was as good a time as any to get out of bed. She moved to the edge, her bare feet touching the cold parquet floor. Lucy bit back a wince as she stood up, holding her head which had gotten even dizzier.

Slowly, almost painfully, she carefully made her way out of the darkened confines of her bedroom, her hand trailing against a wall to support herself just in case she got too wobbly.

She opened the door and went out into the main hall of her apartment. Lucy was forced to squint her eyes as the sunlight from outside the living room's window invaded her private space. An irritated moan escaped her as she lifted a hand in front of her face to keep the seemingly deadly rays of light away from her sensitive hazel orbs. She then quickly hid her practically naked upper body with the flannel she was wearing, which was luckily long enough to end near her mid-thigh.

With a clouded mind, hazy eyes, and almost animated steps, she made her way to the bathroom, completely oblivious to the bag of groceries in her living room and the boots that were near her front door. What seemed like an excruciatingly long period of time passed before Heartfilia found herself in front of her bathroom door, and without a second thought she pushed it open.

Suffice it to say she wasn't ready for the sight waiting for her.

The girl practically froze in place when her eyes made out the image of broad shoulders and a muscular back turned to her. The figure in her bathroom shifted at the sudden noise, surprised yet still sharp pitch-black eyes turning to regard her.

"Uuuuh… oh! Mornin', Luce." Natsu said, feeling a bit startled, yet relieved to see that she was able to get back on her feet… somewhat. The fact that she was supporting her weight with her hand on the door handle didn't escape his inquisitive gaze.

Lucy would've said something. Anything. But the fact that Natsu was topless caught her _very_ off-guard. She couldn't explain it for the life of her even if she tried, but it got her flustered way more than it should have. The sight of his broad shoulders, his lean, muscular back, his chiseled abs, and, well, everything else that would make any girl melt was doing just that to her. She blamed it on the hangover, cursing it for making her so vulnerable.

The very same hangover that, combined with the convoluted orchestra of different thoughts that assaulted her, quickly made her feel the bile that had begun to rise in her throat.

Lucy darted to the toilet like a blur, almost ripping the seat off of its hinges as she put it up and leaned into it, hurling yesterday's poison out of her system in a way that made her throat burn. Natsu was quick to react to this, his worried eyes watching her as he moved to stand behind her. Big, gentle hands collected her golden-blonde hair, which, if he had to be honest, felt like the most exquisite and expensive brand of silk against his skin, and held it behind her to keep it from getting dirty.

One of those very same hands landed on her back, providing her with support which she graciously accepted and nodded her thanks due to being unable to actually voice it out. She felt Natsu gently running his hand up and down her back to calm her, and, between the headache and the disgusting sensation of vomiting her guts out, the blonde felt a peculiar warmth well up inside her that she hadn't really felt before.

She didn't know why Natsu was in her apartment, but oh Mavis was she thankful.

Granted, she didn't like the fact that he'd get to see her like this, but his support now was appreciated more than he probably realized.

When her stomach finally decided to relent, Lucy breathed out a heavy breath, coughing several times. She moved away from the toilet as Natsu flushed it, and fell to the side, her back leaning against the bathroom's wall. Her practically stunned eyes attempted to make out a clear picture of the pinket standing in front of her, the action being made so much easier when he knelt down in front of her, wiping her mouth with one of her towels.

"Feeling better?" He asked, a somewhat amused snicker leaving him when all she could muster was a weak shake of her head in negative. The fiery haired basketball played moved a stray strand of blonde hair from her face to get a better read on her, wondering how bad the hangover actually was.

Lucy, on the other hand, was feeling slightly uncomfortable. This hangover was making her feel all sorts of things that she wouldn't normally notice, and the fact that Natsu was half-naked in front of her wasn't helping. His touch against her skin made her shiver ever so slightly, and the way he was staring at her made her look away, his deep onyx eyes making her feel as though he was peering into the deepest confines of her soul, likely seeing right through everything that she was.

She had turned away from him, yet quickly turned back. He had this smile on his face that was difficult not to look at, and it was very positively contagious, making the blonde's lips twitch upwards weakly. His hands then gently moved down, making her quirk a brow curiously, and somewhat suspiciously. Natsu was reaching for his flannel, and somewhere in the back of her mind she wondered whether or not he was going to ask for it back. She hoped he wasn't; it was warm, comfortable, and smelled nice, likely having remnants of his cologne on it.

Mavis, she was a mess. A possessive mess.

Heartfilia was surprised when Natsu, instead of doing what she dreaded he might, began buttoning up the piece of his clothing that she haphazardly slipped into. She didn't dare say anything, but she knew her smile only grew because of this, "Thanks." She managed to croak out, feeling slightly annoyed with herself for her strained vocal chords sounding so coarse.

Another series of short chuckles left his mouth as Natsu once again made eye contact, forcing Lucy to freeze in place as though she'd been paralyzed. His hands moved to cup both of her cheeks, and she had to struggle to bite down a moan when his fingers massaged behind her ears.

As she watched him, Lucy couldn't help but notice things about him that she hadn't before: the naturally light tan that his skin always possessed, the very few wrinkles that appeared on his forehead whenever his brows rose, the outlining on his cheeks when he smiled, and the very few buds of facial hair on his cheeks that were beginning to form into a usually unnoticeable stubble. She never really paid much attention to things like that, but now she still mentally remarked how handsome the basketball player looked.

She took notice of the light scar on the right side of his neck, her mind racing to figure out how he got it in the first place. She would've asked, but considering the circumstances it was very unlikely that she'd be able to voice the question. The girl hadn't even noticed when her hand began moving as if it developed a mind of its own, her soft and slender fingers touching that marked area on his skin. She couldn't help how her very barely visible smile grew when Natsu froze at the contact, seemingly enjoying it as she outlined the scar with her nails.

They both said nothing for a good while, just enjoying their current unlikely predicament. Natsu, however, eventually cracked a toothy grin, "You need to brush your teeth, Luce."

And just like that, the moment was gone.

 _Damn it, Natsu._

* * *

It took her a short while, but Lucy managed to get herself out of the bathroom all freshened up. She had indeed brushed her teeth, taken a shower, and gone through various other morning rituals she would have normally already underwent. And yet despite this Lucy still couldn't force herself to give back the piece of clothing Natsu had given her. At this particular moment it felt like her only refuge from the cold, regardless of the fact that she had an entire closet filled with clothes that were much warmer.

There was just something about it that drew her in. If she were in her right mind, she'd think she was going crazy. But then again she was allowed to be a little out of it because she was having one hell of a hangover.

"Natsu?" She called out, noticing the strange and surprisingly worrying lack of a pink haired basketball player when she entered the living room.

"In the kitchen." Natsu answered, and she felt something akin to a feeling of relief within her. She wondered what he was doing, but honestly Lucy was still feeling weak due to the annoying aftermath of drinking late into the night. She plopped down on the couch and brought her knees to her chest, wrapping her arms around her legs to bring them closer.

Heartfilia still wore nothing but her underwear and Natsu's flannel, which was enough to cover her up considering that it was more than several sizes too big for her. Her breathing was still heavy and she mostly breathed through her mouth – she felt as though there was a rock or something pressuring her lungs, keeping her from being able to breathe properly. Her head still hurt, too, but after that shower it had become mostly bearable. That and she didn't feel like she'd swan dived into a dumpster anymore.

She tied her hair up into a small pony-tail at her back so it didn't get into her eyes or become even further messed up. Lucy sighed when she realized she must have looked like a godawful mess right about now, and something in her stomach churned at the thought of Natsu seeing her like this, which was extremely unusual. Lucy wasn't dumb, though. She knew what feelings like this might have meant. And yet jumping to conclusions was not something the blonde did casually. Especially when it was about stuff of this particular variety.

Her gaze was quickly stolen by the pinket who entered the living room – and who was now wearing a shirt, _thank Mavis_ \- holding two glasses filled with water in his hands, together with some pills, "Here, drink this." He handed one cup to the girl, making her quirk a brow in wonder. She sniffed the drink, noticing that it had a very distinct smell to it that Lucy couldn't exactly put together into words. Her eyes turned to Natsu again, and he nodded, urging her forward, "Come on, all of it. It'll help with the hangover, trust me."

Heartfilia nodded somewhat skeptically, but eventually gave a light shrug and pulled the glass closer to her mouth. As soon as the liquid touched her lips and began going down her throat, Lucy's brows scrunched up; the taste was absolutely disgusting, salty and sour at the same time. She was just about to shy away from it when Natsu held her hand in place, forcing her to drink it all in one go.

She coughed roughly by the time she was done, giving Dragneel a light glare which he shrugged off and gave a light laugh, "Tastes horrible, I know, but it works miracles with the hangover. Give it like half an hour or so." He took the empty glass and placed it on the table in front of the couch before giving her another, this time together with some pills, "Aspirin." He informed, and Lucy felt like she was about to kiss him as she swiped the pills from his grasp and swallowed them without any complaints.

Natsu then promptly collected both glasses and went back into the kitchen. She heard the sound of running water and the stove humming to life, a crackling sound made by the spark which quickly turned into a maintained fire. She was curious about what Natsu was doing, but she still couldn't find the energy to go by herself and check. Several minutes of clanking kitchen appliances and the pinket's display or vulgar vocabulary later, a grinning Dragneel bolted into the living room, in his possession two steaming cups of coffee.

He handed one to her, and she gingerly accepted it, her fingers sneaking out of the long sleeves of Natsu's flannel to keep the hot liquid within from spilling out all over her. Curious hazel eyes noticed it was coffee, and she gave him a wondrous look, "We have a coffee maker. Why didn't you use that?"

Natsu shrugged before making himself comfortable on the other couch in front of her, the two of them being separated by a rather small living room table in between the couches, "Can't really make a decent brew of coffee with one of those things. They're convenient, sure, but the taste isn't the same."

She hummed curiously, "You've worked as a barista?"

The PF nodded, "Yeah... Well, no. I haven't. I've worked as a bartender – that's practically all the job experience I have. But depending on the place you're working at knowing how to make coffee is a huge plus." He explained, "During the summer before my last year in high school, I worked at Edolas. You know, that restaurant in old town, down sixth and fourth?" She nodded, remembering the place, knowing for a fact that they were known for the really good coffee they offered, "Didn't think they'd actually hire me, but I got employed because a friend of mine knows the owner. He's a cool guy, honestly. Took the time to teach me how to brew proper coffee and shit, you know? Hell, that number five they serve? By yours truly."

" _You_ made _that_?" She breathed out a _wow_ when he nodded proudly. The number five coffee, while she didn't really know what they put in it, was like something brought down from heaven. Lucy had tasted it several times, and she was pretty sure that if it didn't cost as much as it did she'd probably indulge in it day in and day out.

Taking a short pause from the conversation, Lucy blew on the dark brew of coffee in her grasp to get it to simmer down a bit. She pushed the cup against her lips, and carefully tasted the concoction. He had made her a Latte, and just the way she liked it – two spoon fills of coffee, and three sugars. There was something else in there that she couldn't exactly pinpoint, but it gave the drink an accentuated taste that was actually pretty similar to the coffee she tasted in Edolas. She looked to Natsu in question because of this, and he only winked in her direction, making her chuckle.

"I left the place after summer ended, though. They offered me a place there again whenever I was free to work, but… I dunno." Lucy nodded again, urging him to continue, "Like, it felt too… _formal_ , you know? You always had to wear this entire professional worker get-up – if they asked to wear a blazer you might as well just work in a tuxedo."

"Worked at Eclipse all throughout my senior year in high school after I got out of Edolas. That pub that's pretty close to my place in the center? Yeah, that one bar where mostly everyone from FTU hangs out. It was pretty fun, to be honest. Kinda had this whole… home-like feel to it. Can't really explain it. Co-workers were cool, clients were cool, and the fact that Eclipse endorses local bands made everything _sooo_ much better."

"Why didn't you stay?" She asked, taking another sip of her coffee, delighting in the taste and how it warmed her up, making her feel as though it was actually washing away the remainders of her hangover.

"Basketball, I guess." Natsu shrugged, "I used to play in high school, but when I got to college I never really got back into it until Jellal hit me up after the first half of the year was over." He explained, looking out the window as he was recalling everything that had happened on his bumpy ride through college, "Lots of shit happened, and I eventually quit working there and figured I'd take up Jellal on his offer." He turned to her, the confident smile on his face surprising her, yet pleasantly, "Haven't regretted _that_ choice yet."

Heartfilia noticed how he put emphasis on the word, wondering if he by chance meant something else. Too curious not to ask, she lowered her cup a bit so he could see her face fully, "Are there a lot of those you regret?"

Dragneel took a second to respond, eventually hanging his head and nodding slowly, "Yeah, a couple." He said coarsely, decidedly staying silent afterwards. A small frown made its way to Lucy's face at this, her mind racing to try and figure things out. Even before she realized that some stuff happened to the guy in the past years, stuff that he didn't like talking about. He was talking about them now, but in her eyes it felt too forced. She didn't want to make him open up if he himself didn't want to. It was a strange dance of back and forth, honestly, but Lucy was often the kind of person who would put others before her. Even Natsu knew this, and he was thankful she wasn't pushing the question.

Several minutes of uneasy silence followed the conversation, and Lucy was beginning to fiddle in her seat, finding things a bit awkward. Finally, she remembered something, and looked towards the basketball player, giving him a suspicious stare, "Why were you _half-naked_ in _my_ bathroom?

The pinket almost choked on his coffee at the question, "E-excuse me?" He stuttered out, blinking almost dumbly.

"You heard me."

"Oh." It had taken him a while to get what she meant because of where his mind had wandered. Hell, it took him a while to even realize exactly _what_ she said. See, his ears and mind had played a tiny trick on him which made him think she asked _why were you in bed with me when_ I _was half naked?_

Don't ask how that worked. All you need to know is that, for that split second, Natsu was scared shitless.

"Heh." He gave a short and sheepish laugh, scratching at the back of his head, "I wanted to clean myself up a bit. A lady in the store said I looked like roadkill this morning."

Then it hit her; Natsu went to the store to buy medicine and other stuff like that. Lucy knew for a fact she didn't have any aspirin lying around, not to mention that weird and disgusting thing he gave her for the hangover. She was just about to get out of her seat and pay him back when he waved her off, saying it was fine. She was rather reluctant to back off, but between how comfortable she was feeling and how she _really_ didn't want to stand up, she was strangely okay with that.

Not that Natsu minded.

"Say, how…" Lucy paused, wondering how she was supposed to ask this next question. The fact that she woke up half naked and in Natsu's flannel gave her all sorts of M-rated ideas that she had previously read about in books and such, and she was feeling a bit awkward asking, "How did we get back here last night?"

Natsu hummed, "How much do you remember?"

"Uuuh… I remember we started playing that game on your PlayStation. After the first bottle of that skittles vodka was done – yes, yes, it was delicious," Lucy added through a chuckle when she realized Natsu was searching for an answer to the silent question, the aforementioned pinket adding a quiet _hell yeah!_ into the mix as he pumped his fist in the air, "and after that everything else is pretty much a blur."

"Well, we kept playing. And drinking. Lots. Like, even by my standards that was waaaaaay too much."

"…how are you not hung over then?

"Who says I'm not?" Natsu answered with a question of his own, chuckling bemusedly, "Lucy, I've been awake for over three hours already. I've had time to… _deal_ with it. Still feeling a bit nauseous though."

Figures.

"Anyway, when we were finished with the game you and Nerdvy were pretty much out of commission, so I carried you home. Not sure how Gajeel handled Levy, though. Probably got her home by taxi or something."

"Wait, you _carried_ me home?"

"…I didn't have the change for a taxi?"

A deep sigh escaped the blonde's mouth as she shook her head, realizing that it was just like Natsu to do something like that, "Thanks, and… sorry."

"For what?"

"You know, for getting drunk like that."

Dragneel shrugged at this, "It's fine, Lucy. Really. Nothing to feel down over. I mean, letting loose once in a while is okay, right? Especially when it's with people who'll take care of you and in-doors, not in a bar or something." He reasoned, and she, albeit begrudgingly, nodded. Lucy felt somewhat guilty for just drinking herself to unconsciousness the way she did. At first she thought she might have ruined their evening, especially when considering the notion that Natsu actually carried her home and then stayed to take care of her, "Hey." He called, making her eyes turn to him again.

"I know what you're thinking right now, so stop. No, you weren't bothering me. Hell, your sofa was actually comfy and there was no Erik and Kagura acting out a porn flick in the other room, so I'd say I finally got a good night's sleep for once, despite being drunk." He said, grinning, "Besides, you only had one set of keys. No way am I leaving you drunk and vulnerable behind an unlocked door. Fuck knows what kind of perverts are out there."

Lucy didn't even try to suppress the smirk that crept up her face, "And you're telling me you're not one of those perverts?" She cooed, and Natsu instantly realized what she was getting at, starting to feel somewhat uncomfortable.

"Y-Yeah… I mean no… I… Damn it, woman." He glowered at her weakly and glared softly, "Look. I left you on your bed, clothes and all, and went to get you a glass of water. I come back and next thing I know you're practically stark naked and I don't know what the fuck to do because under different circumstances I would've jumped right in there and-" He promptly cut himself off when he realized his thoughts were now officially being voiced, going by the grin on her face.

"Pervert."

Oh was he glad he didn't mention the fact about him being on top of her at one point.

"…I think I need another drink."

The two of them shared a laugh.

Lucy then brought her thighs closer to her chest, a small smile on her lips as she rested her head on her knees, "Anyway… thanks. For last night. And for taking care of me. I've never really been out like that before. It was really fun. And sweet."

Natsu's reply was his trademark toothy grin as he lifted his own mug of coffee in the form of a toast, "To getting completely fucking shitfaced with the douchebags we call friends."

Her smile widened, "I'll drink to that."

And after they did, Natsu couldn't help but wonder about what Lucy had said. The main difference between Natsu and Lucy that clearly distinguished their personalities from one another was that Natsu wasn't considerate of people on a psychological level. Well, not as much as Lucy was, anyway. He was both curious about what she had said, and rather worried.

"Lucy?" She hummed in question at him calling her name, "What did you mean when you said you've never been out before?"

For a split second, Lucy froze, and mentally cursed herself for admitting that. It wasn't as though she was hiding it, hell no. It was more like this issue wasn't something she was fond talking about. Though, looking at Natsu, she figured she might as well be honest with him.

"I… well." Heartfilia began, collecting her thoughts, "I'm not from Fiore. I was born in Bosco. I think I've told you that before." Natsu nodded, "You ever heard about the Heartfilia family before meeting me?"

"Nope."

"Didn't think so." She sighed, wondering how oblivious this guy could get at times, "Anyway, the Heartfilias are probably one of the wealthiest, if not _the_ wealthiest family out there in Bosco. I'm the daughter of the founder and owner, Jude Heartfilia."

Dragneel's eyes almost bulged out of their sockets, "Holy shit, so are you like… royalty or some shit like that?"

A chuckle devoid of any form of humor left her. Hell, the sound itself almost made Natsu cringe with the way it seemed as though it actually had some venom behind it, "If only. I barely ever got to see my father, and when I did I was mostly treated as an object. Something he could make a profit from whenever he decided which family to marry me off to."

 _Things like that still happen? Fuck, that's messed up_ , Natsu thought, a scowl morphing his features as he remembered something he read before, "What about your mother?" He asked, trying not to give away the fact that he couldn't resist a peek into her journal.

And he didn't know whether to regret his question or be worried about Lucy when the girl gave the most melancholic smile he had ever seen, and he could see that she was still clearly not over her death, "My mother, she… she passed away when I was thirteen, and…"

Natsu abruptly cut her off, "Lucy…" he whispered, "You don't have to talk about this if you don't want to. Or feel like you can't."

She shook her head, "No, it's alright." Her hazel eyes looked up at him, the demeanor of the smile on her face changing to something that Natsu liked seeing, "I'll have to tell you about this sooner or later, right?" The fiery haired basketball player took a short while to process this, also giving the girl a little more time to compose herself, before he nodded, "So, my father, he… he completely changed after mom passed. Before he used to be kind, warm… you know, everything a father should be? But after that he became a completely different person."

"I don't think he ever realized that I was hurting just as much as he was."

Subconsciously or otherwise, Natsu's hands had balled into fists so hard his knuckles went white and he actually thought he'd dig through his own palms with his nails. That one sentence pissed him off too much for his own liking. It was just like what he had went through, albeit under different circumstances.

"And, well… that answers your question. I was just controlled too much." She added, "My father became cold, and the family business was pretty much his entire life. There was no room for anything else. Not his friends. Not his family. Nothing. Just the business. I was apparently a part of that business, so I couldn't live a life of my own. Never went to school because my father had me homeschooled by the best teachers in Bosco that money could buy, some even came over from Sven."

"When I turned eighteen, my dad wanted to marry me off to this guy named Dan. His family owns the railroads of Bosco, and he thought it'd benefit the family business. I didn't want to live the rest of my life with someone I didn't know, nor could I accept being handled like some sort of object, so I ran. I came to Fiore, and because of offered entrance exams and stuff like that I managed to enter FTU under a scholarship. Lucked out, I guess."

"My father tried looking for me to get me back, but I threatened him I'd sign an arrest warrant if he came so much as five feet near me." Natsu couldn't help but chuckle at this, _atta girl_ , "Spent my first two years here living in the dormitories. Found a part-time job I could keep up – the same one I have now. Saved some money, met my current roommate, and luckily her previous roommate had moved out so she offered me a place here."

Natsu nodded once again as he leaned back into the sofa, his mind afloat with thoughts. This Jude fellow sounded like a downright asshole, in his opinion. It was one thing to suffer the loss of a loved one, but to neglect someone else – his own daughter – was just horrible. Hell, he wasn't even neglecting her. What he did was so much worse it actually made Natsu's hangover worse at just the thought of it.

He turned to her, his scowl still very visible as he thought about Lucy being used as an object like that. It sickened him. He swore he would probably sock this asshole once – or thrice – in the face if he ever met him. And the thought that if Lucy hadn't ran away they wouldn't have ever met left a bad taste in his mouth.

"Shit, Luce. I'm sorry." He voiced, letting his head hang a bit. Dragneel felt bad for forcing her to talk about this. He was glad she decided to share this with him, sure. But there was just something about talking about your past that brought back shitty memories. To him, at least. He figured Lucy might have been the same.

She shook her head, smiling, "No, it's alright. I'm living my own life right now. It's not much, but it's everything I ever wanted. All that stuff's behind me now. Dad hasn't tried contacting me in forever, either. Probably forgot I even exist by now, so who cares, really?"

Lucy may have tried to calm him by saying that, but unbeknownst to her that had the completely opposite effect. Natsu got even more worried about her, but decidedly chose to keep that hidden, offering the girl a small smile, "Yeah."

Yet another silence took over the room as the two enjoyed what was left of their coffee. Suddenly, however, Natsu felt his phone vibrating in his pocket. He quickly fished out the device and swiped once before pulling it close to his ear, "Yeah? What's up? I'm at Lucy's. No, we didn't. Oh, _fuck you_ -… go fuck yourself, Erik." A _very_ irritated breath escaped the pinket's throat, and Lucy didn't even have to think twice about what his roommate must have suggested.

Truth be told she laughed at it a bit, too.

"Naw, I'll be back soon. What? Yeah, I'm fine. Monday, right? Aye. Juvia and Gray? What about them…? Wait… what?" Natsu paused, and Lucy noticed that he seemed positively _horrified_ by what he heard, "Motherfu- ARE YOU SERIOUS?! Don't you fucking _dare_ let that dickwad out of there until I get back. I'm going to shove a fucking pineapple up his asshole. Yeah. Right. Give me like half an hour. K." And he hung up.

"What did he say?" Lucy inquired, subconsciously leaning slightly forward to emphasize her interest.

Another sigh escaped the PF, "Apparently, after we left, Gray got so fucking wasted he slept with Juvia… _in my bed_."

Lucy almost choked on her coffee as she burst out laughing, prompting Natsu's brow to twitch in irritation, "Yeah, laugh it up, blondie."

"I'm sorry, that… that's just.." And she kept laughing.

By that point Natsu was quick to move to the front door to shove his boots on his feet and tuck his pants into them. Then he went to the dresser and slipped into his parka. Lucy moved to let the guy out when something struck him.

"Oh, shit, I almost forgot." Lucy hummed questioningly, looking up at him, "Come here." Natsu instructed, confusing the girl slightly, yet she did what she was told as Natsu pulled her to the side a bit, "Okay, now close your eyes." She did what she was told, and she felt Natsu making her do a full 180 to face the other way.

Several moments later, Natsu spoke up again, "Alright, up and at'em." She opened her eyes, her hazel orbs widening at a certain object that was around her neck, "Merry Christmas, Lucy." Her gaze drifted to Natsu standing behind her, grinning, then back to his gift. It was an ornamented crystal-like pendant encased in a silver ring, hung on her neck by a silver thread-like chain. The pendant hung loosely just above the valley between her breasts, and Lucy couldn't help the smile that came to her at how beautiful the gift was.

"N-Natsu, I…" She breathed out, honestly overwhelmed by it as her hand moved to touch the smooth crystal. She then turned over her shoulder, regarding him with a slight tint of pink on her cheeks, "I didn't get you anything…"

His trademark grin was on his face faster than you could say _Jude's a cunt_ , "You did. That smile's all I need."

She couldn't help snorting, "Smooth."

"I know, right?"

Then something hit Lucy as she looked down at the flannel she was wearing. She frowned a bit, realizing that she'd have to part ways with the warm piece of clothing. Yet there were two problems. Firstly, the damn thing was much too comfortable. Secondly, she was pretty much butt-ass naked under it, skimpy underwear be damned.

Natsu caught on rather quick, and chuckled at her in amusement, "Keep it." He said, surprising her, "Looks good on you." Dragneel paused, watching her. Then, he realized something, and grinned slyly, "3-0." _Though honestly it's about 5-0 by this point._

She took a moment, then laughed as she shoved him lightly, "You're _still_ playing that?" Lucy asked between bursts of laughter, trying to hide her blush,

"Always." He said through a snicker, "Alright, well. I gotta head out. Guess I'll see you-" Natsu's words died in his throat when Lucy got on her toes and gave him a gentle and quick peck on the cheek, actually making _him_ blush. Her arms snaked around his neck as she embraced him, and the Dragneel almost fumbled to return the gesture.

"Thanks, Natsu. Yesterday – _and_ today – were wonderful." The blonde female said, and Natsu nodded, nuzzling into her collarbone in an attempt to hide the fact that her actions actually got him a bit embarrassed. Eventually, they parted, and Natsu made for the door.

"Talk to you soon?"

"Definitely." She answered as Natsu grinned at her one more time before heading out and closing the door behind him.

Lucy stood in place for a short while, staring at that very same front door to her apartment, her mind focused on the image of Natsu standing there. Perhaps she was hoping he'd pop back up again, saying he forgot something. Unconsciously, her fingers were playing with that very pendant Natsu had given her, and she only smiled to herself.

She already wanted to text him.

The thought made her laugh before she decided to take a nap and sleep this hangover away.


	13. Chapter 13

_**A/N:** Don't blame me if some of the Spanish in here is incorrect. My translator left me hanging .~._

* * *

 _ **Hangover**_

* * *

"So… nothing?"

"Nope."

"That idiot." A sigh escaped Kagura's lips, her head slumping in disappointment. She looked to Lucy, the aforementioned blonde only giving a sheepish and somewhat light-hearted chuckle. The dark-violet haired female, who was normally busy all throughout the week, even when it was holiday season, had found some free time in her schedule. She was still curious as to how Christmas night ended up going for the obviously soon-to-be couple, which made her unable to say no to herself when the thought of asking Lucy out came to her.

"Well, it's not like we're rushing things." Lucy admitted, shrugging slightly before taking a sip of her coffee, her cheeks lighting up at the sensational taste; Hacker's Lounge was gradually becoming her favorite hangout at this rate, "And hey, what makes you so sure he looks at me that way, anyway? Did he tell you something?"

Mikazuchi snickered at Lucy's question; Natsu had been quieter about this matter than a normal meat-consuming person would be in a crowd of angry radical vegans. But the way he talked about her, acted around her, all those things… they told her everything she needed to know.

That and there was a certain something Lucy was wearing that hadn't escaped the older woman's eyes.

Kagura lifted one hand and poked the crystal of the necklace Lucy was wearing, "This."

The blonde quirked an eyebrow, her eyes drifting down at the pendant hanging just above her breasts, "Y-Yeah… Natsu gave me this for Christmas. What about it?"

"It used to belong to his mother." Lucy's eyes widened as her somewhat alarmed gaze drifted to Kagura, bewildered. Heartfilia had known that Natsu's mother passed away when he was still very young – the pinket had mentioned it once, but he never said much, "He's been treasuring that necklace all his life." Kagura smiled warmly at Lucy. She had honestly been surprised Natsu had gifted it to her, but, knowing that dumbass, there was a reason for it.

A reason that even she couldn't tell a hundred percent.

"I… why would he…?"

A shrug was the answer the stuttering girl got, "Beats me, but I can tell you one thing." Kagura's smile only grew, "He wouldn't have given it to you if you didn't mean anything beyond a friend to him. That I can tell for sure."

He hadn't even given it to _her_ …

But that was a story for another time, and Kagura wasn't going to say anything about it.

A hum escaped Lucy, a slow and gradual smile showing itself on her delicate features. A lot of thoughts were running through her head at that moment before her eyes eventually drifted to her phone. Should she?

"You shouldn't." Kagura suddenly spoke up, as if she had heard Heartfilia's mental dialogue with herself. Lucy tilted her head to the side, giving her a curious gaze, to which the dark-violet haired woman simply groaned before facepalming and shaking her head, "Trust me. Just don't."

"Why?"

"…you don't want to know."

And had Lucy known exactly why, she would've probably thanked her for the advice.

* * *

"That'll be… eighteen-ninety-nine, sir."

"Thanks… here, keep the change. I don't think I'm the only one who gets pissed over those fucking ninety-nines."

The red-clad delivery guy chuckled somewhat uneasily at Natsu's words as he took the twenty-five from him, handing him the pizza as he did so. He tipped his hat and Natsu nodded before closing the door to his apartment shut. Gods, he has been hungry all day long and too damn lazy to actually cook anything. Erik was being a bitch, too, and wouldn't step one foot into the kitchen. So that left Natsu with only one plausible solution.

Pizza.

Oh, speaking about said bitch.

Natsu's eyes suddenly widened when he felt something between his feet, making him trip. He wasn't able to grab onto anything due to the food in his hold, and he'd be damned if he ruined a fucking _pizza_ just to stop a fall.

You didn't ruin a pizza. Ever.

It was law.

And thus Natsu ended up holding the delivered food above his head as he faceplanted the parquet floor. _Hard_.

"Fucking… ow." Natsu growled out, his voice rather muffled from the floor of his apartment in his face. He turned his head to the side so his glaring eyes could make out the sight of a grinning Erik leaning against a wall with his hands folded in front of his chest, "You think this is funny, you jackass? I could've dropped this thing."

Erik scoffed amusedly, "You would've licked it off the floor anyway."

"Damn straight I would have." The pinket responded as he stood up, giving one last glare to the redhead before he made his way to the kitchen. Their apartment was still a complete mess after that Christmas party they had. Empty bottles in different corners of the room – no doubt kicked around so they didn't get in the way. Some plates of half-eaten food were left on the table, a busted controller impaled into a wall… well, nothing really new for these two. Erik was just happy Kagura wasn't doing room inspection. Hell, both of them were.

"Man." Natsu heard Erik groan as the two of them sat down in the kitchen, "Like, I'm no attention-whore, but-" Natsu added a quick _sure you aren't_ which the SF completely ignored, "I haven't gotten a single like on any of my posts for two weeks now. I don't fucking get it."

Dragneel shrugged as he was beginning to open the pizza box, "People must've finally realized that your shit makes idiocy contagious." _That or I messed with your Facebook, you ass. Have fun figuring that out_ , seriously, setting someone's 'who can view my posts' to 'only me' was hilarious as fuck. Try it sometime and watch the anxiety unfold.

"Eat a bag of dicks."

"I'm gonna be eating but it ain't gonna be no dicks."

"Amen to that." Both of them nodded to one another as their eyes locked on the magnificence that was the pizza in their possession. All that chicken, bacon, cheese, and everything else… seriously, this is why you didn't go vegan. And don't you dare call me an ignorant pleb who's going to die from a heart attack. _This pizza is why you don't go vegan, damn it._

Natsu had quickly ripped off a slice and dug in, and he seriously thought his pants had become a bit tighter because of the taste and the hard on it caused. He quirked a brow when he noticed Erik went to the fridge and took out a certain bottle of hot sauce. Natsu swore he almost choked on his pizza as he tried to keep himself from laughing.

"…what?" The redhead asked, noticing how his roommate's face had gone blue there for a second.

"N-no… nothing." Natsu stammered out, coughing, yet he quickly went back to his pizza.

"First three burritos… now a pizza. Today's fucking heaven." At this Natsu did actually choke, but managed to keep his laughter in check once again, "Dude, all those dicks you've been sucking are catching up with you."

"Your ass is catching up with you."

"What the hell does that even mean?"

 _You'll get it soon enough,_ he thought, but didn't voice it, instead choosing to go back to the pizza. Erik had offered him some of his hot sauce, and Natsu recoiled from that harder than he would from a Jehovah's Witness showing up at his doorstep. This further confused the redhead, but the guy, luckily for Natsu, just shrugged and continued eating.

Soon enough the both of them had scarfed down the entirety of the pizza, releasing satisfied moans and burps. Natsu got up from his seat and went to the kitchen sink to wash off his hands. As soon as he turned the knob, the faucet exploded in his face, splashing water all over and completely drenching him in the process.

"God-fucking-damn-it, Erik." Natsu growled out when he heard howling laughter from behind him, turning to glare at his red haired roommate.

"Yeah, good luck cleaning this up." Erik said in between laughs before he also stood up and made for his room, intent on checking his emails before continuing to pack for home. Natsu, on the other hand, was left to deal with this chaos of a waterfall he aptly dubbed _fucking bullshit_ , trying his damndest to get the darn thing from leaking water everywhere, even though he was no plumber and this job was virtually impossible.

When he heard a loud crash and a plethora of curses – followed by his own name – Natsu grinned to himself. He fished out a bottle of beer before practically skipping towards Erik's room.

The sight before him was the best he'd seen in a while. Erik was on the ground next to the broken frame of an office chair. The seat of the chair was firmly connected to the redhead's rear as Natsu spared no expense with the superglue he found. The same superglue that had the buttons of Erik's keyboard seemingly permanently stuck to the guy's fingers.

"What the _fuck_ , dude?!"

Natsu only laughed, faucet be damned.

Then he noticed something.

He should've dropped that beer bottle he held due to laughing.

There was one problem.

Shocked, Natsu eyed Erik who had now moved to sit on his bed, chair seat glued to his ass and all, "You didn't."

"Oh I sure as hell did." Erik replied. The duo then proceeded to try and get the superglued items off of them, both of them practically yelling their protesting curses to the Heavens.

"I have no skin left on my palm, damn it!"

"Your _palm_? Dude, there was a _chair_ glued to my _ass_." The redhead groaned out, rubbing his burning ass, "I swear, this could only get worse if-" He abruptly cut himself off when his stomach rumbled and his face went purple.

" _If you added laxatives to my hot sauce_ – that's what you were about to say, right?" Natsu grinned and began laughing hysterically when his roommate made a beeline towards his toilet and locked himself in there. The following sounds were a bit too grotesque to try to describe. That and I still want to eat tonight.

Let's just say that burning ass was going to be practically _scorched_. _And he said he ate three burritos… Mexican and laxatives. Oh boy._

"That's for the rotten eggs under my bed last night, you-"

" _Haz recibido un mensaje de texto de_ Jellal Fernandez."

Natsu froze suddenly, confused as to what the fuck he had just heard. He looked around the room, and he was positive that, aside Erik's pained howls coming from the toilet, there was nobody in there with him. Then it hit him that his phone buzzed in his pocket, and he blinked dumbly before a _very_ irritated expression overtook him.

"OH MY GOD! I FEEL LIKE I'M GIVING BIRTH TO THE ANTICHRIST!"

Ignoring that particular brand of disgusting crap - literally - Dragneel quickly fished out his phone and, lo and behold, a _deslice la pantalla para desbloquear_ was there to greet him.

"THIS IS WORSE THAN THAT FUCKING TWILIGHT PARODY!"

That one was pretty shitty, yeah.

"Oh you have got to be…" Natsu groaned, realizing that his phone was completely set to fucking _Spanish_. From muscle memory he remembered how to go to Facebook – which was also in Spanish, by the way, just a very ghetto version of it that featured a whole lot of 'motherfucker' in it – and messenger. He also knew how to go into the settings part of the phone, but he had no damned clue how to navigate that shit to go into the languages section.

A groan escaped him, he tapped away a few times before holding on the singular button the phone had, "Siri, change the phone's language to English."

" _Comando desconocido. Por favor, repita._

"Huh?"

" _Por favor, repita._

"Motherfucker!"

" _El termino_ motherfucker _no se encuentra en la base de datos. Por favor, repita la palabra que desea definir._ "

Outraged, Natsu roared to the heavens, only barely restraining himself from chucking his phone across the room. The pinket growled as he stuffed his phone back into his pocket and slumped down on their living room couch, already feeling exhausted. This day of the year, whilst it was excruciatingly amusing, was too damn taxing to the point that he could never get used to it.

Every year, during one specific day between Christmas and New Year's, Natsu and Erik have this sort of annual 'prank the fuck outta the other guy' contest where they made each other's lives a living hell just before Erik left to spend the rest of winter break at home with his family. It was an annoying thing that came up seemingly out of nowhere during the first year they lived together as roommates. It all started with Erik 'accidentally' throwing a cake in Natsu's face, to which Natsu retaliated by locking Erik's computer on Hentai sites for his ex-girlfriend to see. Suffice it to say she broke up with him shortly thereafter, and Natsu couldn't help but laugh his guts out.

Erik actually thanked him for it; if that's all it took for her to break up with him, she wasn't going to last anyway.

And everything just escalated after that. This very particular day was marred with all kinds of shenanigans every year to the point that it had once become life threatening… if the tiger locked in Natsu's room had any say in the matter.

Yeah, Erik had gotten an actual honest to God Bengal _Tiger_ locked in his room. PETA had a field day.

Despite this, Natsu couldn't say he didn't enjoy it.

However, some pranks were just taking it too far, especially when someone messes with your PlayStation account, "No…" Natsu whispered to himself, his face pale as he loaded up NBA2k16 and saw that his MyPlayer was nowhere to be found. Dread welled up within him, and he swore he felt as though someone extremely close to him, his own son for fuck's sake, was brutally murdered right in front of him.

"Erik, you cunt!"

" _El termino_ cunt _no se encuentra en la base de datos. Por favor, repita la palabra que desea definir._ "

Natsu had actually begun trying to pace his breathing just in case he actually blew a gasket and threw Erik's PC out the balcony.

"Oh you are _not_ getting away with this, you asshat."

" _El termino_ asshat _no se encuentra en la base de datos. Por favor, repita la palabra que desea definir._ "

"Shut the fuck up, Siri."

" _Que?_ "

Natsu just groaned as he moved to pick a certain something up from his room. It was a small blank plastic bag. A mischievous and borderline devilishly vengeful grin morphed his features as he snuck into Erik's room, finding the clothes he chose to wear for the road. Quickly, and quietly, he opened the plastic bag and poured some sort of brown powder-like substance all over them, making sure to shake his clothes a bit so it spread and covered the entirety of the apparel's inside.

Nodding to his own handiwork, Natsu's onyx eyes then gave the room a once over, his grin only widening when they landed on his roommate's car keys. He swiped them and began to move out. The fact that Erik was still very much groaning in excruciating pain and the sounds of the proverbial birth giving hadn't left the bathroom told Natsu he still had quite a large window of opportunity. Hell, he used enough laxatives to give an elephant a hard day – he'd have plenty of time to carry out his plan, and thus he grabbed a pair of disposable gloves from their kitchen and left the apartment.

What Dragneel very much noticed was that his favorite shoes were full of foam. And some other shit that he _really_ didn't want to know anything about.

"FUCK."

" _El termino_ fuck _no se encuentra en la base de datos. Por favor, repita la palabra que desea definir._ "

"…this is going to be a looooong day."

Around ten minutes passed before Natsu returned to the apartment, locking the door behind him. He sniffed his own hands, his expression changing to one of disgust before he went into one of the three bathrooms they had and tried washing his hands.

…only to find that the hand soap was replaced with aftershave.

Now, remember the beer bottle Erik had glued to Natsu's hand? And the fact that his palm more or less had no more skin on it now after Natsu managed to get the bottle off?

Ouch.

The pinket's eyes bulged out, yet he refused to scream. He hissed, growled, and shook madly, feeling as though his hand was literally burning. But he would not give Erik the satisfaction of hearing his agony, "God… fucking… damn it…" He breathed out, exhausted.

" _El termino_ God-fucking-damn-it _no se encuentra en la base de datos. Por favor, repita la palabra que desea definir._ "

"Siri, either you shut up or so help me I will fucking flay you."

Surprisingly enough, his phone didn't have a reply for that.

Natsu quickly returned the keys back to where he had found them, just in time for Erik to leave his toilet, holding onto his ass for dear life, and, well, walking like he had just dropped the soap. He had a pained expression on his face, panting heavily.

"Never again am I eating burritos."

"I think your ass would be thankful."

Suddenly, Natsu's phone buzzed alive again, " _Haz recibido un mensaje de texto de_ Lucy Heartfilia." The pinket sighed tiredly as his irritated eyes focused on his roommate who, despite feeling like he literally had a burning torch shoved up his butthole, still managed an amused grin.

"Change this shit back."

"Do you _really_ think I have any idea how to do that?"

"Well you fucking changed it to Spanish."

" _El termino_ fucking _no se encuentra en la base de datos. Por favor, repita la palabra que desea definir._ "

"It's good the way it is, isn't it?"

"Like hell it is. Siri's been going fucking crazy commenting on whatever the hell I say. I swear it's like the bitch is on crack or someshit."

" _Cuidado con lo que dices o me ordenará jabón con su tarjeta de crédito._ "

Erik almost choked at this, making Natsu glance at him curiously, "I'm no Mexican, but I took a few Spanish classes back in school. Pretty sure she just said you should keep your mouth shut or she'll order soap."

Natsu blinked dumbly several times before glaring at his phone, " _No mire a mí de esa manera._ " Then the pinket looked to Erik, "…now I think she told you to stop looking at her like that."

Both of them paused for a second, "…technology, you scary."

With a shake of his head, Natsu quickly swiped on the screen and with the help of his memory was able to pull up the message Lucy had sent him… in between all the Spanish. _Hey, how are you? You think we could meet up later today? Coffee or something?_

Now, the worst part about this wasn't the fact that his phone was in Spanish. Nor was it really Siri being a totally talkative asswipe questioning half the explicit stuff he said. No, it wasn't that at all.

It was the fact that his phone's keyboard was in Spanish which all things considered wasn't that bad. No, the _worst_ worst part was the notion that the goddamn auto-correct was enabled.

And it was in -oh, you guessed it- fucking Spanish.

Of course.

"Fucking _espacio_ … what is this?!" Natsu growled as he tapped away on the screen of his phone, "No, I did not mean fucking _fuego_ , Goddamnit. Oh fuck off- what the hell is a _cabeza_?"

Through a painstakingly enormous amount of effort and Erik's hysterical laughing, Natsu managed to finally send his reply, _Sure, coffee sounds great right about now. When are we talking about?_

The reply was quick.

 _Around 8?_

A myriad of curses later, Natsu was able to send four simple words that took more effort than a whole paragraph normally would have.

 _Sounds like a plan._

A _very_ exasperated sigh escaped Natsu's throat as he pocketed his phone and noticed that Erik was nowhere to be found. He peeked his head into the living room, and shrugged when the redhead wasn't there either. Tired as all hell, Natsu marched to the living room couch and did a swan dive right into it face-first in the hopes of getting some moments of shut-eye.

Bad idea.

As soon as his weight hit the cushions, something was launched upwards from behind the couch and landed right on Natsu's head, drenching his entire form _again_. A loud and aggravated groan left the pinket as he stood upright, ignoring the laughter coming from inside the kitchen. Natsu touched his own arm, noting how… gooey the liquid was.

"Is this… cooking oil? Really, Erik? Cooking oil? You fuckface."

" _El termino_ fuckface _no se encuentra en la base de datos. Por favor, repita la palabra que desea definir._ "

Erik didn't even know if his lungs could handle the pressure anymore. The expression on Natsu's face was pure gold, and he wished he had something on him to take a picture and turn it into a plaque in city hall or something along those lines. The red haired basketball player watched as his roommate wordlessly made for his shower and locked the door behind him, seemingly tired of all this shit.

A light chuckle escaped Erik as he finally managed to catch his breath. A smile on his face, he moved to get ready to leave; his parents would be expecting him in a couple of hours, and the drive to his place took at least ninety minutes. He figured he should hit the road, and thus made for his own room to change.

Several minutes passed and the SF came out of his room with a change of clothes, heaving a few bags with him. He closed his room's door and locked it behind him – it wasn't because he didn't trust Natsu. It was because he didn't know what Natsu might pull when he realizes what Erik did with his shampoo. The thought made him snicker.

"Oi, I'm leaving." He called from the living room, noting the sound of running water from within Natsu's bathroom.

"Good. Get your ass out of here already." Was the muffled and obviously angry reply. That honestly only served to amuse the redhead further.

"I'll be back in about two weeks. Don't mess the place up too much, alright?" He didn't expect a reply, "See you then, bud."

"Later."

"Good luck cleaning all this shit up."

"Oh fuck off."

" _El termino_ fuck _no se encuentra en la base de datos. Por favor, repita la palabra que desea definir._ "

He just laughed.

And as their short exchange ended, Erik left the apartment, moving for his car. He left his bags in the trunk and with a tired breath practically fell into the driver's seat, letting his head hang backwards. He blinked several times, staring at the roof of his vehicle as he realized something was itching. A _lot_ was itching, and he groaned when he realized Natsu must have snuck itching powder into his clothes. He groaned loudly before he literally heard a voice coming from inside their apartment.

Note that he was outside. And in his car.

"WHAT THE FUCK DID YOU DO TO MY SHAMPOO?!"

He had no doubt in his mind that Siri had an opinion in regards to Natsu's language.

Grinning to himself, Erik quickly started up his car, his ears perking at the sound of the engine roaring to life and the radio turning on, letting some hip-hop music play. He quickly reversed out of his parking spot, and hit the road.

That is, until several minutes in his nose picked up a godawful stench. That was when Erik paled, _wait… what the hell was Natsu doing while I was in the bathroom?_

His eyes quickly scanned the inside of his car as he pulled up to the side of the road. Frantic hands searched everywhere, but came up with nothing. Then he had the idea of trying to pinpoint the exact location of where the scent was coming from, and boy oh boy did he curse the heavens when he realized that it was coming from inside his air conditioner.

And the smell was something you'd expect a dog's five day old excrement to stink like.

Combining that with his still aching stomach that was causing him nausea, his burning ass that barely let him sit in place, the sting in the back of his head that seemed as though it was giving him a migraine, and the entirety of his body itching like he had some skin condition made Erik realize that this was going to be one hell of a drive.

"Fuck. My. Life."

* * *

Several hours after that whole charade, Lucy was still in Hacker's Lounge, checking some papers she had to go through for work. Routine stuff like preparing for classes, grading the kids' holiday homework, stuff like that. She hated homework for the holidays, and if she could have her way she would wipe it off the face of the planet. That, however, was the board's decision, not hers, as sad and dejected as that made her.

Heartfilia had spent a good few hours with Kagura before the woman had to head home to meet up with some of her co-workers. The two of them had talked mostly about college stuff, with a few topics touching the rather popular pink haired basketball player. It wasn't anything major, and Lucy didn't try to pry too much because whenever she did attempt it Kagura would just give her this sly smirk and say something either vague or extremely suggestive.

She had enough of the latter-related thoughts in her head already after her little confrontation with a half-naked Natsu in her bathroom that one time.

Lucy shook her head to get her thoughts somewhere else, her eyes drifting to the clock. It was already fifteen-past-eight, and the girl had to wonder where the usually punctual Natsu was and why he was late.

The answer came when the guy finally showed himself.

"…why is your hair green?"

"Lucy, please, don't even."

And all the questions Lucy had for Natsu in regards to the necklace he gave her vanished when she just burst out laughing.

" _¿Quiere añadir el_ Hacker's Lounge _como un lugar frecuentemente visitado?"_

"…Goddamnit, Siri."

* * *

 _ **Omake by**_ ** _I.-.-.I Kuroyagi I.-.-.I_**

Siri: _Por favor, repita su orden._

Natsu: I fuckin' told you! Go back to English!

Siri: _Siri no puede comprender su petición. Por favor, repita su orden._

Natsu: Aaaaaaaaaaaaahhhh! I'm fuckin' goin' to-!

Jellal: _Siri, cambia el idioma del telefono a Ingles, por favor._

Siri: _Orden recibida._ Phone's language set to English.

Natsu: ...what the hell?

Jellal, shrugging: Grandma was from-

Natsu: Mexico?

Jellal, sighing: Spain.

Natsu: ...same fuckin' thing.

 ** _Later that night._**

Erik: Siri, change the phone's language to Spanish, please.

Siri: Order received. _El idioma del telefono a sido cambiado a Español._

Erik: Kekekekeke~


	14. Chapter 14

_**A/N:** That Kevin Durant signing tho. Oh, hey, by the way, I'll be gone for the next week or so. Gonna go spend some time in the UK. Shit's gonna be fun, especially with this whole Brexit crap going on. _

**_Moon Stone Tiger_** _**Lily:** Glad I could help out. I'm still pissed at you for chapter twelve, though. Like, I put so much work into it, and what you do is call me out on my arrest warrant fuck-up bullshit? Come ooon, yo, not cool. Also, I'm kidding. The review was appreciated, lmao._

 ** _I.-.-.I Kuroyagi I.-.-.I:_** _.~._

 ** _mizu aozora:_** _Thanks. And solid reasoning. Though, I'm not sure either of them won, heh._ _Oh, and she will. When the time is right... someday... eventually... when I'm not lazy as fuck. Yup._

* * *

 _ **Hangover**_

* * *

 _ **Here to stay**_

 _ **Even when I'm gone**_

 _ **When I close my eyes**_

 _ **Through the passage of time**_

 _ **Kings never die**_

"That's eight." Natsu breathed out ruggedly, his voice being muffled by the windup of the loud hip-hop music playing in the gym. He nodded to himself when the ball fell through the net and back into the basketball shooting machine below the hoop. His eyes locked on the large device, hand rising to catch the basketball it shot out.

He held the ball with both hands before bouncing it against the wooden court several times. Pacing in place behind the arc, Natsu got into his shooting stance. His legs bent slightly as he raised both arms, using his left hand to support the ball in his grip before launching himself upwards. His hands rose even higher as he elevated and, when he _almost_ reached the apex of his jump, he shot the ball with his dominant right.

 _ **Do whatever I gotta do just to win**_

 _ **Cause I got this motherfucking cloud over my head**_

 _ **Crown around it, thorns on it**_

 _ **Cracks in it, bet you morons didn't**_

 _ **Think I'd be back, did ya?**_

The ball grazed the rim slightly, bounced off the backboard, and went right through the net. The basketball player hissed out a quiet _hell yeah!_ in between breaths, a grin spreading over his face as the music continued blaring.

It was almost New Year 's Eve, and Natsu was in the gym, practicing his jumpshot from behind the three-arc. After the last few games before Winter Break, he had found his arsenal lacking. He was never good at threes, but he managed to make nine out of ten shots now. Granted, they weren't contested, and even more so they were from stationary positions. And yet Natsu believed that, with enough practice, he could turn his long-range jumper into a decent weapon.

But, as it stood now, his current ability wasn't enough.

Not against _them_.

A rough breath escaped him as the machine shot out another ball for him. Sweat covered the entirety of his body as his shoulders heaved up and down in tandem with his ex and inhales. His arms felt heavy after those several _thousand_ shots he already made today, and he knew they were going to sting in the morning. But he still thought he was ready to attempt that challenge again.

He moved towards the device below the rim and fiddled with its settings a bit, punching in the setting to shoot out a new ball every 1.5 seconds. Last time he ended up with the balls hitting him square in the face – his release was just too slow and he ended up slacking behind the rhythm. Now, however, he thought he was finally able to master his new quick release that would put Gray to shame, and he figured he might as well try the routine again, half-dead arms be damned.

Natsu stood behind the three-arc again, releasing the ball to let it bounce on the floor as he did a quick warm-up routine. He began hopping up and down in place, rotating both his neck and wrists to get the kinks out, moans escaping him after each pleasurable crack.

 _ **Gotta get up, give it all I got or give up**_

 _ **Spit on, shit on, stepped on, but kept going I'm tryna be headstrong**_

 _ **But it feels like I slept on my neck wrong**_

 _ **Cause you're moving onto the next, but is the respect gone?**_

 _ **Cause someone told me that**_

 _ **Kings never die**_

As the verse ended, Natsu kicked the ball up and got into his shooting motions as though he was on automatic. He jumped, fired, landed, caught the ball, repeat. One, two, miss, three, miss, miss, four, miss, five, six… and so it went. Miss after miss, score after score. Natsu grit his teeth as he felt his legs beginning to buckle after all those high jumps he made, but he kept pushing himself, intent on making as many shots as he could before his muscles started ripping themselves apart.

And boy were there a lot of those.

 _ **I swear that I won't let you down**_

 _ **Imma be around forever, entertain even in the ground**_

 _ **You ain't never ever gonna hear me say I ain't**_

 _ **Kings never die**_

* * *

"Come on, damn you! Work!" A deep and rather irritated sigh escaped Lucy's lips as she stood in front of this printer, her glaring eyes betraying how annoyed she was, if her voice didn't. She had been at FTU for the past hour already, trying to take advantage of the fact that printing here for students was free. She had loads of assignments to print out for her students, and she probably would've ended up broke if the university didn't offer things like that.

Lucy honestly paled at the thought of how much money she'd have to pay when she'd be writing her bachelor's thesis if they actually charged for printing.

The female was also glad that, despite it being New Year's Eve, the main building of the university was still very much active. Sure, she felt massive pity for the student receptionist who seemed pretty much dead behind his desk. Working during New Year's was just cruel. But someone had to do it.

"Finally!" She yelled out almost desperately, quickly shoving the ever increasing load of paperwork into her bag. Her eyes bulged out when she tried to pick said bag up, groaning tiredly at how heavy it had gotten, "Great…" She mumbled to herself; at this rate, she'd be paying almost the same amount in cash for the taxi that she would've for the printing.

The blonde girl was tired; so, so tired. She'd been up ever since six or so AM, having pretty much skipped out on decent sleep entirely during the last few days on the account of a certain basketball player. Natsu and her have been texting like crazy recently, and it had gotten to the point where the pinket would text her in the middle of the night while playing video games, which she found strange. _While I'm flattered that he wants to talk, shouldn't he, like… you know, actually play the game and_ not _keep me up until four AM?_ She thought to herself tiredly, a small smile making its way to her lips.

It wasn't like she didn't enjoy talking to Dragneel. On the contrary – she found his attention strangely enticing, not to mention that he had this way of making her smile and laugh that was kind of like his own trademark by this point. She had gotten quite fond of it; so much so that she'd definitely feel like something was missing if it were to suddenly disappear.

That was actually pretty grim, now that she thought about it.

She only wished Natsu developed a sense of when it was appropriate to text people. Four AM for a sleep deprived girl was not exactly a good time to mess with her. And she had made that obvious quite a few times... yet flipping him off usually didn't work.

Lucy's stomach rumbled, and for a split second she began feeling incredibly weak, releasing a pent up breath as she tried to correct herself. She hadn't eaten anything since waking up due to being so busy all the time. She had spent the morning grading papers, noon getting new assignments ready, the afternoon developing a lesson plan, and now, during the evening, she was back at FTU.

The girl frowned, _wasn't this supposed to be Winter_ Break _?_ She thought in irritation, zipping up her bag now full of mountains of paperwork before she hoisted it over her shoulder, groaning at how positively _fat_ it had become, and practically impossible to carry.

Guess she'd be able to say she got her day's workout in by the time she got home.

Trying her best to not stumble as she made her way downstairs with the heavy load of her bag on her shoulder, Lucy noticed the receptionist sitting behind the desk. Well, sitting wasn't the right word for it. The guy was pretty much lying on his chair, trying his best to fight away the boredom. _Poor guy_ , the blonde thought with some sympathy. She may be busy all throughout the day, but at least she could say she was free to do what she wanted in the evening. That and due to finishing all her work early she could have at least two days off to rest.

As quietly as she could, Lucy snuck out of the main building, trying not to disturb the guy too much as he looked dangerously irritated, and she sincerely didn't want to deal with that. The cold weather invaded her private space as soon as she was outside, her boots making crunchy noises against the fresh snow covering the concrete. Her eyes glazed over the rather large yet barren white-coated campus as she fixed her scarf to slightly cover her chin, her breath escaping her in the form of a cloud of steamy grey mist. It was cold; painfully so. And she had honestly begun missing a certain pink haired Dragneel who had such an abnormal body temperature you'd think he was an actual heater.

Lucy quirked a brow when her gaze fell upon the Clive Center – the building which housed the cafeteria, the gym, the weight lifting room, scouting offices, and the fitness hub in general. It was where she knew Natsu and the rest of the basketball team had found a second home of sorts – if Natsu wasn't at home playing games or killing time at bars with idiots, he was usually in there shooting baskets, Kagura told her.

What surprised her was that there were lights on in the gym, and she could hear a very faint rhythmic beat coming from inside. As far as she knew Clive Center was closed during the holidays, and she couldn't help but feel curious about who was inside there during New Year's, of all days.

 _I have a vague idea,_ she mused inwardly, catching herself feeling hopeful.

Lucy made her way inside the building, feeling grateful for the heat that it isolated within which managed to keep her from freezing to death. She looked around, noticing that the only light source was coming from within the basketball court area whereas everything else was covered by pitch black darkness. The music was getting louder with each step she took towards the court and, while she didn't really listen to hip-hop that much, she couldn't say she didn't like it.

Just as she thought she would, Lucy's eyes caught the sight of Natsu once her eyes were used to the light. He was calmly standing right in the middle of the court, slowly bouncing a ball with his right hand as he seemed deep in thought. There were dozens upon dozens of basketballs haphazardly left around the entire court, obviously a testament to how much Natsu had been practicing. There was also a large machine left behind the boards which Lucy assumed the pinket had also found how to use, she couldn't really tell. Things like these were beyond her.

Natsu wore a very loose, seemingly several sizes too large a black tank which had the design of a golden traditional Chinese dragon embroidered on either side of the shirt, and his left arm, from just below the shoulder to his wrist, was covered by a black compression sleeve with several golden trimmings. His legs were covered by light-grey slim-fit-yet-not-too-tight cropped sweatpants that ended mid-calf, and black, gold-trimmed sneakers were on his feet; namely the brand that Natsu loved most - Jordans.

Lucy honestly couldn't help but chuckle as she mentally remarked how his sports-wear actually looked better than his casual clothing.

The blonde chose to stay behind in the hallway just outside the court, deciding that she didn't want to disturb the concentrating basketball player, and she was curious to see what he was going to do as well. She glued herself to the door frame to hide herself from him, and watched curiously, examining his every move. She noted how heavy his breathing seemed and how heavily covered in sweat he was, no doubt having already worked himself to the bone.

Lucy's own focus only sharpened when Natsu moved. His eyes had suddenly shot open and he glared forwards. His knees bent instantaneously, the top of his body leaning forward ever so slightly as he seemingly caught the ball with one hand and charged forward. One step, two, the ball hit the wooden surface of the court, repeat. Heartfilia was frankly amazed at how quick Natsu was on his feet, able to burst out insane speeds in such a short period of time.

She observed as Natsu bolted towards the three-point line, and, suddenly, came to a complete stop, which actually shocked her. She was no sports analyst, but even she knew that it was difficult to pull of a change of pace like that, transitioning from a high-speed sprint to a complete halt. He bent even lower, and began to dribble the ball really close to the ground, watching something she couldn't put her finger on. Dragneel then moved again, darting to the side with a flash-like crossover that she had trouble following with her eyes. Another crossover followed suit, and he launched himself past the three-point line and towards the free-throw area.

Another change of pace followed suit, and Natsu clicked his tongue in annoyance as he then proceeded with a behind-the-back cross but, instead of following through and charging forward to either dunk or transition into a jumpshot, he took a quick step back behind the three-line.

Lucy stared both awestruck and confused. On one hand, Natsu was dishing out different dribbling moves in quick succession to the point that it looked like a perfect dance. On the other hand, she didn't understand why he practiced something he already had down to its foundations. He was literally just running around the court with the ball in his hands, repeating motions that were muscle memory.

But in all actuality, Natsu was in a world of his own. He wasn't alone in Clive Center's court, dribbling the ball all by his lonesome while being watched by Lucy. No, he was in Crocus Square Garden, playing in the finals match against Sabertooth. The crowds were going wild, both FTU and SU fans' roars deafening the large, fifteen-thousand-people-fitting arena.

Yet Natsu could barely hear any of it. In the image his mind created from memory, the basketball player was too focused on the player blocking his way.

He was struggling with their number 9, Eucliffe, who was also a Power Forward and was the guy who stole the MVP award right from under Natsu's nose last year. And he could see why. The blond had a smug smirk on his face, his blue eyes watching Natsu challengingly, daring him to try something, _anything_. Dragneel growled at his mind's projection; whatever he tried just now, he couldn't get past Sting's defense for the life of him. What worried Natsu was that this Sting was a memory from a year ago, and Jellal explicitly said that Sabertooth has massively improved ever since then.

The pinket shook his head to expel any foreign thought and refocused on his training. Both of his hands held the ball as he stood in triple-threat, eyes staring dead into Sting, trying to come up with a plan for his next play. Thinking fast, Natsu quickly stepped forward while bouncing the ball before crossing it over and under his legs, sizing the blond up. Eucliffe didn't seem all too phased as he took one small step back to maintain some distance between them, and Natsu smirked.

Natsu faked right, drawing the blond's attention as he moved to intercept, yet the pinket's follow-up three-sixty was quick. Sting's eyes widened as Natsu managed to blindside him and expose a vulnerable part of the stance he forced with his size-up, and the pinket charged right through him. Dragneel's abnormally quick acceleration speed carried him to the free throw lane, and he jumped, lifting the ball with his dominant right hand, looking to dunk.

And yet Natsu's eyes widened when a shadow seemingly came over him. Turning over his shoulder just enough, he saw a triumphantly grinning Sting homing in for the block. _Motherfucker!_ Natsu snarled and grit his teeth as his muscles tensed. Regaining his balance mid-air, he was able to lower his raised dunking arm as the blond's attempted block flew right by it, and he transitioned into a double clutch, taking the ball with his left hand before tomahawk slam-dunking it into the rim just as his jump was beginning to lose its punch.

The whole post didn't stop shaking for a while after that.

" _Whoa…_ " Lucy breathed out, wide-eyed and in awe as she watched Natsu land after that dunk which even she could tell was not something anyone could pull off, let alone how he switched dunking hands at the last second.

Unbeknownst to even her, a small smile crept up Lucy's lips at the sight of Natsu playing. She had never thought of it before, but the way he played reminded her of watching basketball with her mom and dad back when she was a kid; when they were still a family. Her father used to love watching the sport, and every night he'd grab a cold one, get comfortable on that old couch they once had, and he'd turn up the TV so loud she was surprised their neighbors didn't complain.

Jude wouldn't miss a single game, and he always had this excited expression on his face whenever his favorite teams played. Even though she couldn't understand a lick of basketball, Lucy would watch it with him, and even her mother sometimes joined. It was one of the few happy memories Lucy still had of her family all together, and she was honestly surprised that Natsu was the one to bring the image back to her.

She had no idea what kind of moves Natsu was pulling out there in the court, but they resembled the ones she used to see on TV so much it was practically uncanny. His speed, fluency… everything seemed so professional and, more importantly, _natural_.

What Lucy didn't manage to notice in time, however, was that during her trance her bag slipped from her shoulder. By the time she felt the strange loss of weight and scrambled to try and grab hold of her bag it was already too late and the item hit the ground, the echo making it sound much louder than what it was supposed to be.

What's worse? Natsu was mid-dunk.

"Huh?-GUH!" The pinket saw stars when he was momentarily distracted and turned towards the noise… and hit the rim of the post with his forehead. It didn't take long for gravity to work its magic, and Natsu's behind hit the ground, the back of his head planting the wooden floor below. Painfully.

Natsu was dizzy enough that he felt as though he had just been locked up inside a blender. He heard a muffled voice call out his name, yet he couldn't exactly make out who it belonged to. That is, until the sight of a busty blonde female crouching next to him came into his retinas, her large brown eyes watching him worriedly and the expression she sported actually made him feel a bit of relief.

"Natsu!"

"Ugh… my head…" Dragneel groaned aloud as he leaned up, a hand holding his forehead while his other arm supported his weight with his elbow. Some of the initial haze wore off rather quickly, and he was able to fully make out the female's face, "L…Lucy?"

"Natsu! Are you alright?" Her voice rung out as she leaned in closer, swatting his hand away so she could touch and inspect his forehead for herself, "Mavis! I'm so sorry…" She said with a frown on her face.

Natsu blinked several times, a bit confused. Then the fact of their closeness hit him, and he felt very slightly self-conscious, an uneasy chuckle leaving his lips, "Is there a scar?"

"…what?"

"You heard me. Is there a scar?"

The blonde gave his forehead another one over, her delicate fingers running along his skin, "N-no… I don't think so."

The basketball player nodded, "See, it would be easier for me to forgive you if there was an actual scar or something. Scars are badass." Lucy found herself a bit dumbfounded by the reply, yet quickly realized that this was Natsu Dragneel she was talking to. She snorted in amusement as she leaned back, yet her eyes never left him, "What are you doing here anyway?"

She shrugged, "I was on campus doing some work-related stuff and I saw the light was on over here. Got me curious is all."

"You're lucky it was me you found and not, say, Loke." Natsu said with a short and extremely bemused _hah_ , "I heard that dude has been on a banging spree."

"So, what, am I a target now?" Heartfilia questioned with a raised brow.

"You kidding? You've been his _prime_ target ever since he first saw you like last year." The underlying growl in his voice was difficult to miss, and it actually made the female smirk just a little.

"My, my, if I didn't know any better I'd say someone's getting overprotectively jealous." Natsu shot her a weak glare which made her chuckle.

Why were they even talking about Loke of all people anyway?

A sigh left the pink haired PF as he slowly stood up, nodding to Lucy who took his arm in order to help him up. He rotated his neck and stretched out his arms, groaning when several bones popped back into place, " _Man_ that hurt." He whined, "Seriously, feels like I had a fu-… _freaking_ anvil dropped on my head."

Once again Lucy found herself confused. Did the foulmouthed Natsu Dragneel just stop himself from _cursing_? Not to mention that it was as though he was waiting for something after uttering those words, a sigh of relief leaving him later.

"…did you just not swear on purpose?"

Natsu noticed how curious she was, and sighed yet again, "Fuck!"

The music playing through the gym's speakers was suddenly silenced, being replaced by a _very_ familiar voice.

" _El termino_ fuck _no se encuentra en la base de datos. Por favor, repita la palabra que desea definir._ "

It took a short moment for Lucy to process the words and the voice that came from the speakers, but when she realized it the girl instantly burst out in laughter. Natsu, on the other hand, only rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, yeah, laugh it up, blondie." He said with some irritation, but was ultimately unable to hide the small smile that crept up his lips. He actually found himself saying that line quite a lot lately. Not that he really minded it, though.

"Mavis, you _still_ haven't changed that?" She asked in between laughter, trying her best to compose herself and failing miserably in the process.

"I _did_." Natsu said as he rubbed the back of his head, "Well, the phone's language, anyway. Siri's being weird, though. The bitch just stayed in Spanish all by herself and she's become extremely talkative."

" _El termino_ bitch _no se encuentra en la base de datos. Por favor, repita la palabra que desea definir._ "

"See what I mean?"

Lucy was practically choking with laughter whilst Natsu just shook his head tiredly, smiling softly.

"How is she talking through the main speakers though?" Lucy questioned, and Natsu motioned with his head for the blonde to follow him. They stopped near the far right side of the gym in front of a wall panel that Natsu removed to reveal a variety of cables, one of which was connected to Natsu's iPhone through an adapter.

"Had a few of the guys from IT mess with the wiring a couple of months ago so we could have music help us focus during solo practice and stuff like that. Don't tell Blueberry, though." Lucy looked confused, "Jellal." Natsu explained, the female giving a quiet _ooooh_ before chuckling, "So, since my phone's connected to the speakers, Siri's having a blast here."

" _Sí lo soy._ "

"…what did she just say?"

"Do I look like I speak Spanish? Besides, I don't think we want to know." The pinket reasoned, and Lucy just nodded somewhat uneasily.

The blonde's eyes trailed after Natsu as he picked up one of the stray basketballs that were lying around and started dribbling with it as he slowly walked towards a basket, "What are you doing here today, anyway? Heck, how did you even get in here? I thought the place was closed for the holidays."

The basketball player's answer was a shrug as he got himself behind the three-arc and, using the new quick-release he had been practicing before his imaginary match, fired a high-trajectory shot, cursing under his breath when it missed, "Jelly gave each of the starting five a key if we ever wanted to get some practice in." He answered. Though, in all honesty having the keys proved to be a good way to blow off some steam when shit got too heavy, or just serve as a place to hide from everyone.

Or, well, a place to bang.

You gotta do what you gotta do, as they say.

"And I've been practicing this new shot." Natsu added as he picked up a new ball and shot it again, groaning when he messed up the angle of his elbows and the trajectory was way off and ended up being an airball, "It's been a bi-… difficult. It's been difficult."

Lucy just chuckled at the answer, "How is it different? Your shot, I mean."

Natsu blinked dumbly as he turned to her, looking borderline offended, "Seriously?" The blonde shrugged at the question, "You've seen me play before and shoot, right?" She nodded, "You saw me shooting the ball just now too, right?" She nodded again, "…and you're telling me you don't see the difference?"

"Nope." Lucy answered all too innocently, adding a cutesy smile for effect.

Natsu sighed; how did he end up liking this girl again?

Booty, Natsu. Booty.

"Well, firstly, this shot's wind-up is way shorter. I also shoot _before_ I'm at the apex of my jump, which lets me use my momentum. There are angles and shit involved in this too, but I can't be bothered to explain. Let's just say I shoot it higher than I normally would. That makes the shot more difficult to block and it has a higher chance of going through the net since this makes it less likely to graze the rim- oi, are you even listening?"

Natsu's brow twitched in irritation when he saw Lucy simply looking around the place, kicking a random basketball out of what seemed to be boredom. She turned to him curiously before she nodded, a huge smile on her face that somehow pissed the hell out of him, "Yup." She cooed innocently in a sing-song voice, and Natsu swore he felt like strangling someone.

She was messing with him now. Two can play at that game.

Biting down a growl, Natsu called Lucy over. The blonde watched him inquisitively before doing what he asked, coming to stand with him near the free throw line. She looked up at the taller male, wondering what he was thinking about, before a basketball was shoved in her face.

"Hey! What- what's the big idea?" Lucy asked, a frown quickly making its way to her face as she took the ball with both hands and lowered it, her eyes once again drifting to Natsu who had a very prominent scowl on display.

"Shoot it."

"Huh?"

"I saaaaaaaid, shoot it. Come on, you ain't deaf, right?"

"No, I'm pretty sure I'm not." She glowered at him before a sigh escaped her. She was somehow going to regret this, wasn't she? _Oh, whatever_ , she thought to herself. Her gaze drifted down to the orange ball in her hands. It was large and heavy, and her mind raced trying to figure out how Natsu and the others managed to pretty much masterfully dribble it from one side of the court to the other hundreds of times at breakneck speeds without pulling a muscle or two.

Though, noticing how absolutely _lovely_ his muscles were, Lucy didn't linger on the thought for long.

She quickly expelled those thoughts from her mind as she readied herself for the shot. _Alright, Lucy, you can do this!_ She urged herself mentally before she tossed the ball towards the hoop with a yelp, using both of her hands as she did so.

The orange object didn't even make it to the rim.

Heartfilia looked positively dejected at the result, chuckling sheepishly to herself before turning to Natsu. The way he looked seemed as though he was about to cringe across the galaxy, and she had this sneaking suspicion it didn't bode well for her at all.

"That was _horrible_."

To say that Lucy felt even worse would be an understatement.

"Here, try it again." The fiery haired Dragneel ordered sternly as he pushed another basketball into her grip, ignoring any and all protests coming from the blonde haired female, "With one hand this time."

"It's too heavy!" She whined, but Natsu would have none of that as the glare he put on display told her that she wasn't getting out of this one. An indignant huff of a breath escaped her lips before she tried again… achieving practically the same result.

"This is-!" Lucy was about to complain when Natsu interrupted her by covering her mouth with his palm.

"Again."

Well this was becoming a pain in the ass real quick.

And yet she was surprised that instead of being tired like before, Lucy actually felt like this was giving her more energy.

After several dozen shots, Lucy felt like her arms were about to fall off. Turning back to Natsu, she noticed how clearly amused he was, and it managed to get under her skin just a bit. The girl actually growled, yet all that served was to further entertain him, "Luce, you can do better than that…" He whispered into her ear from behind the female, and Natsu swore she actually shivered before turning over her shoulder to glare at him, making him snicker.

Around five missed shots later, Natsu seriously thought the girl had a talent for being _bad_ at the game. Hell, scratch bad, she was _horrendous._

"Alright, alright." He finally gave in… just not in the way Lucy had hoped, "Let me help you out." He added, and Lucy had to bite down a yelp when she felt his arms around her, his large hands taking hold of her elbows firmly yet gently. His fingers were big and long, too, so much so that they wrapped around her slender arms with ease.

"Here, your arms should be separated by about this much…" His hands then roamed, _snaked_ towards her wrists, and Lucy had to bite down a curse due to the fact that she found his touch so damn distracting, almost as if his fingers left hot trails of fire on her skin, "Here, you hold the ball like this… you a righty or lefty?"

"L-lefty…" Heartfilia paled when she realized that she stuttered, and she didn't even need to look at the PF to know that he was smirking. _Damn him._

She was just happy he couldn't see her blushing cheeks, otherwise he'd add one more point to the score of that stupid game he was playing with her.

"Thought so." Natsu voiced, and Lucy could easily tell that his voice had this uncanny undertone filled to the brim with amusement. Both of his hands then moved to her left arm – the one that held the ball in place whilst her right held its side for support. His left hand was over hers, fingers and all, whilst his right was on her elbow.

"Okay, now… you stretch your arm, and then let your wrist do all the work." He instructed softly, and Lucy nodded uneasily, swallowing the saliva that she didn't realize had been building up in her throat.

But then again, Lucy Heartfilia wasn't one to go down without a fight. Lucy did her best to fight over the embarrassment, smirking to herself. She pushed her hips backwards, her ass suddenly and very seductively rubbing against Natsu's crotch which she, admittedly, didn't find all that unpleasant. _His_ reaction, however, was priceless. She didn't turn to look at him for the fear of him noticing her blush, but the way she felt his body shiver against hers told her all she needed to know.

Eventually, the girl did as she was told and, with the help of Natsu, the ball was launched in a high-arching shot towards the hoop with a swish. Her hopeful hazel eyes watched as the object floated towards the goal, her breath caught still and her body immobile.

Little did she know that Natsu was in exactly the same state, his grip on her instinctively tightening.

And when the ball flew through the net, Lucy felt the triumphant feeling of victory wash over her. She practically shrieked as she jumped up and down, a wide smile on her face and a slight tint of pink on her cheeks. She honestly did feel accomplished, and she turned to Natsu, who only smiled at her warmly.

"Good job, blondie." He said with a snicker before ruffling her hair, making her pout a bit. And yet she couldn't help but smile again.

She enjoyed it when he touched her hair, she found.

Several moments of silence passed, and Natsu was beginning to think something was wrong… until she raised her head and looked at him with the cutest eyes he had ever seen.

"Natsu?"

"Uuuh… yeah?"

"That necklace you gave me… Kagura said it was your mother's." She watched him, trying to investigate his reaction, trace every single way the skin on his face moved, wondering what kind of expression he'd make. And yet all he did was nod, staring back at her with a raised brow, "Why'd… you know… if it was so precious to you, why'd you give it to… _me_?"

A hum and a shrug was her response, "No reason."

"…huh?"

Lucy stared at him, dumbfounded, "…seriously?"

"Who knows?"

Yeah, who-

Wait, what?

Her eyes suddenly narrowed very dangerously whilst a smirk appeared on Natsu's face. She poked him in the ribs once, he tried his best to ignore the sting. She did it again, he reacted the same. Her glare intensified, his smirk grew. They played this back and forth for a short while until Natsu finally gave in, covering his sides while laughing.

"Come on, Luce, stop!" He warned, taking a few steps back to try and avoid the rapidly approaching female.

"No way! Tell me!" She argued, her voice adamant. She wasn't about to take some stupid and cheesy _who knows?_ for an answer, and she'd be damned if she let him escape like this, "Natsu!"

Suddenly, a thought occurred to the fiery haired basketball player, "Alright. Alright!" Natsu called out, raising his hands up defensively. Heartfilia quickly stopped her motions, looking up at him expectantly… her eyes narrowing when he picked up a basketball and grinned mischievously, " _If_ you can steal this ball from me, that is."

Lucy scowled a little bit as she rested her hands on her hips, tapping her foot against the floor impatiently. Was he being serious? Lucy knew how good Natsu was at ball-handling, which made this challenge not only unreasonable but also unfair.

"That's the only way I'll tell you anything." The male added, his shit-eating grin growing to the point it looked like it was going to split his face in half.

Lucy sighed, letting her head slump as she felt like she was about to get herself into something she was going to regret. _Again_ , "Okay, whatever." Her eyes narrowed, "I'll get that ball if it's the last thing I do."

He chuckled, clearly amused, "Atta girl." And, with that being said, Natsu got into a stance, bouncing the ball against the wooden floorboards of the court at a paced rhythm, his eyes watching her expectantly.

The attack was sudden, but also very sloppy. Lucy just charged Natsu head on, and the pinket had very little trouble dodging her attempts. He swayed backwards, to the side, managed a crossover to confuse her, and, after a three-sixty, ended up back to back with her, humming amusedly.

The blonde growled as she tried again, refusing to give up. Her hands kept going in for the kill, intent on snatching the basketball away from his grip. Natsu smirked smugly as he once more employed his arsenal of dribble moves to dance circles around her, switching hands with crossovers, avoiding her attempts with behind-the-back switches to push the ball further away from her, and even bouncing the ball under her legs only to later catch it behind her with the help of his massive wingspan.

Eventually, the blonde groaned overdramatically, "This is just… argh!" She whined, glaring weakly at the basketball player again, "You're cheating!"

Natsu feigned dismay, "Me? Cheating? That hurts, Luce." He said, yet wasn't able to suppress the grin that quickly resurfaced on his features, "Giving up already?"

"Like hell! I'm about to wipe that grin off your face!" She declared adamantly and rushed at him again. This time, however, she employed different tactics. She poked him in the ribs again, shoved him slightly, and even used her own legs to unbalance his, which actually amused him.

That's when it got _really_ physical. Lucy was suddenly in front of Natsu, _extremely_ close to him. She was close to his neck, and he felt a slight warmth in his cheeks when her hot breath hit his collarbone, covering his skin in goosebumps. Okay, that definitely caught him off guard.

It wasn't enough to warrant him a loss, though. Not by any stretch of the definition. However, Natsu wasn't someone to ignore a person's efforts, especially when they were so… _unconventional_. Besides, with the way she was trying, he actually _wanted_ to tell her now, his previous indecisiveness and uncertainty be damned, if only for the moment.

He saw her hand darting for the ball, going for the steal. He also noticed that she closed her eyes, probably not even expecting this to work herself. Yet Natsu made absolutely no attempt to get the ball out of the way.

Lucy hadn't expected it, and she couldn't believe it when her fingers made contact with the ball. Her eyes shot open, and Lucy just stared at the ball bouncing on the ground several times as it rolled away from them.

The very same feeling from before washed over her again, "I did it… holy Mavis, I did it!" She squealed, grinning widely as she turned to Natsu, "Natsu, I-" Yet she was abruptly cut off when a she felt a hand on her cheek.

Heartfilia's entire body froze as she saw Natsu lean in towards her, his lips pushing against hers as he kissed her. Her eyes went wide as saucers, her face adapting a shade of red so deep you'd think she turned into a tomato. She wanted to protest, maybe even push him away, but she couldn't find the strength. Hell, she couldn't even find the willpower to do it.

When she expected him to back off, he didn't, instead choosing to deepen the kiss as his other hand made its way to her hip. Lucy felt tickling warmth overwhelm her as her eyes closed and she allowed herself to ease into the kiss, practically melting on the spot as one of her shaking hands moved to grip his shirt tightly.

Moments passed of the closeness between them, and eventually they parted. Lucy's eyes focused on Natsu, the smile on his face striking some kind of chord within her, "That's why." He said softly, and her eyes gradually widened when what he said registered in her brain. Lucy felt her heart stutter as her heartbeat increased. She fought to say something, but she knew that whatever she were to say now would come out as a jumbled mess.

Millions upon millions of questions ran through her mind, and she struggled to decide what to do next. She had half-expected him to say something, but she was surprised when all he did was walk past her, snickering to himself, "4-0."

She paused, _wait, what?_ and her lips pursed together, forming a thin line. She turned over her shoulder, watching his retreating form waving back at her. Lucy's face was still flushed red from embarrassment, but that was quickly replaced by anger. Hell, _wrath_.

"Oh, and also, do be a good sport and clean this mess up, alright? I'm gonna go take a shower." _A fucking cold one, too,_ he mused inwardly, yet didn't voice the thought.

And Lucy... well, Lucy was just standing in one place without moving a finger, too stunned to actually conjure up a reply.

Until something finally snapped and her body shook in utter rage.

"Natsu, you asshole!"

" _El termino_ asshole _no se encuentra en la base de datos. Por favor, repita la palabra que desea definir._ "

"Shut up, Siri!"

All she heard after that was his laugh echoing from the men's locker room.

 _Damn him._


	15. Chapter 15

_**A/N:** Sorry this took so long to publish. After my little vacation I somehow managed to lose my writing groove and had issues getting it back. I'm fine now, though. Can't quit out on a story just as it's getting good, am I right? **cough cough** haha._

 ** _Moon Stone Tiger Lily:_** _Oh come on, don't be like that, lmao. I did say I was kidding, right? Reviews are accepted with open arms and appreciated!_

 ** _Guest:_** _But that background is what makes this so interesting, don't you think?_

 _Anyway, this chapter is... well, all I can say that I am, for the first time in a long, long while, satisfied with it. Mostly the second part of it, anyway. Might be my perfectionist nature when it comes to writing, I'unno. But yeah. Enjoy!_

* * *

 _ **Hangover**_

* * *

Awkward.

That was one way to describe how Lucy Heartfilia was feeling walking side by side with Natsu Dragneel. Incredibly awkward. _He kissed me!_ She chanted inwardly over and over, realizing that her face flushed and feeling immensely grateful for her high collar jacket hiding her from both the cold and the pinket's dark eyes. If this were some sort of anime type of thing, the female was pretty sure she'd have an endless stream of steam coming off the top of her head in droves. Luckily, this wasn't the case, despite her worrying that it might have been.

The girl was at a loss; she didn't know why something as simple as a kiss would make her so embarrassed. Granted, she was no whore, but she wasn't really a prude either. This was just… bizarre. And she couldn't help a certain hunch that kept tickling the back of her head.

A hunch that was confirmed when she sneakily raised her head to watch him.

Even though his face was mostly covered by what was now officially his trademark scarf, Lucy could tell that the pink haired basketball player had this smug smirk behind the piece of cloth. A smirk that pissed her off, if she were to be painfully honest, but not in a bad way. It was more playful than anything, which also left her a bit confused. Lucy wasn't someone who guys didn't hit on. Hell, they did it on a regular basis. She could always tell, though. It was like Lucy could see right through whoever's advances and could easily shoot them down as they didn't really interest her. The problem here was that she couldn't tell whether Natsu was serious or just messing with her.

And if he was honestly doing this she wasn't sure if she could reject him like everyone else.

A quick and rough gust of a breath escaped her in annoyance, her face contorting into a frown at how jumbled her thoughts had become, "You alright?" She heard Natsu ask, and she swore she had this urge to backhand the crap out of him.

"Yeah." She replied roughly in irritation, giving Natsu all the heads up he needed to not ask again.

After that little game they had back in Clive Center, Natsu, just like he said he would, went to take a shower and change whilst Lucy was left cleaning up the mess he made on the court. It was as annoying as anything she could think of, especially considering how… _hazy_ her mind was at that particular moment. Seriously, you try cleaning shit up while having weird and, what's worse, _escalating_ thoughts. They were completely alone in the gym, and had they wanted to they could have-

 _Lucy, no!_

She was _so_ glad she had where to hide her face.

Now that she looked at him again, Lucy realized that Natsu was pretty damn tall. She barely reached his shoulders! She had done her research after a while, and she knew for a fact that Natsu's height, which was six foot three, wasn't exactly considered tall for a basketball player, especially for one in the position Natsu was playing, but damn. She felt miniature next to him.

The two of them walked along the park that led to the city for a good while, both choosing to remain quiet for their own reasons. Admittedly, Lucy still felt too embarrassed to say anything, and Natsu was just in his own little world, feeling too conflicted about what he was feeling and whether or not to feel guilty for what he did back in the gym.

Why the hell was this so damn difficult? Used to be Natsu would jump at a chance like this, but now, after everything… he just didn't know. Was he ready to make that leap again? To put himself out in the open and risk being punished to oblivion again? Erik would probably tell him to man the fuck up, but the guy wasn't here, so Natsu didn't really give a shit. What Natsu did care about, though, was the notion that he'd have to make his mind up soon. That was unavoidable.

And yet he still wanted to avoid a commitment like it was an academic paper.

Procrastinating with relationships… who'da thunk it.

Natsu sighed tiredly as he rubbed his face, prompting Lucy to look at him questioningly. He looked… irritated, but she couldn't tell why. A million possible reasons swam in her mind, and she hated the fact that she had begun overthinking things. _Geez, I feel like a hormonal teenager again_ , she thought dejectedly and shared the exact same sigh.

"What am-"

"-I, eighty?"

Both of them stopped in their tracks and looked at each other in confusion. Several moments passed before a snicker escaped Lucy and Natsu snorted in amusement, "Your brain clogged too?"

"Yuuup." Lucy admitted with a shrug, pondering over her thoughts, "Say, did you… did you mean what you said? Well, _did_ to prove it?" She saw how Natsu tilted his head to the side and raised a brow, obviously clueless to what she was getting at. The female shifted on her feet uncomfortably, feeling her cheeks heating up, "The k-kiss…" She stuttered out quietly, letting her head hang down so her blonde locks covered her face.

The basketball player blinked several times as he looked down to her, his brain a bit slow to recreate the image from half an hour or so ago. He groaned inwardly, _I should've known this would've fucking happened_ , he thought, feeling a bit embarrassed himself. Lucy was pretty dense when it came to stuff like this… but holy fuck was _he_ dense for starting shit he didn't know he wanted.

Goddamnit, of course he wanted it. He was just too much of a pussy to admit it to himself.

Lucy froze when she saw his hand move from his pocket. Her bright hazel eyes watched the appendage as it moved towards her, his thumb which brushed against her cheek making her jump a bit. Then it landed on the top of her head gently, and Lucy was once again reminded of how big his hands actually were. She was expecting something, _anything_ , but was too embarrassed to actually look up at him.

She wouldn't have been able to tell much anyway. His face was hidden behind his scarf, making his expression pretty much unreadable, aside his eyes which seemed focused on her as though she was a game winning shot. Natsu then ruffled her hair with a chuckle, grinning to himself at how messed up he left it.

And when he simply walked past her without saying anything, Lucy swore something inside her snapped. A vein popped on her temple as she looked at Natsu's retreating back with pure unadulterated wrath. Growling to herself, she sprinted towards him, and leapt on his back, pulling and thrashing at the same time.

"O-oi!" Natsu protested, having been caught off guard. The slippery ground underneath was proving to be too difficult to handle with a restless blonde on his back, not to mention both his own and her bags that he was carrying, and the two of them quickly fell down, the pinket groaning when his face hit the snowy pavement.

"What the-GAH!" Natsu jumped when he felt a cold hand go down his shirt and touch his bare back. But that wasn't the worst of it. Lucy had the audacity to leave snow under his clothes. A whole freaking lot of it, "FUCK!"

" _El termino_ fuck _no se encuentra en la base de datos. Por favor, repita la palabra de desea definir_."

"Lucy! Hell's sake!" Dragneel thrashed on the ground against the weight of the manically laughing blonde keeping him pinned and shoveling snow under his clothes, making him both shiver and cringe at the same damn time.

Eventually Natsu managed to push her off him and threw a bunch of snow in her face. The blonde squealed in protest while covering her face and glared back at him before chucking a makeshift snowball that hit him square between the eyes. Her face paled, however, when she saw that the utter rage inside him actually started to melt the snow.

And yet she didn't relent, decidedly tossing several more snowballs his way. A small fight erupted as Natsu bobbed and weaved to avoid the merciless onslaught of cold water, often launching his own counterattack which was usually more accurate than Heartfilia's.

" _Ustedes dos deberían tener relaciones sexuales."_

"Can it, Siri!" Both of them growled out simultaneously, their minds seemingly understanding what she had said without even knowing the language.

"Oh Goddamnit." Natsu hissed when a snowball connected with his temple, making him a bit dizzy. His eyes widened when he made out tens upon tens of snowballs heading towards him, and he couldn't help but wonder if Lucy had some sort of minisnowgun with her. Who could tell with women and their bottomless purses? Clicking his tongue, he decided to make a break for it.

"Get back here!" He heard the angered blonde call out, _Nope, nope, nope, nope,_ he chanted inwardly as he dashed along the trees. He winced when snow hit the back of his shoulder, and he realized that she wasn't too far back. Natsu cursed under his breath; the weight of the bags he was carrying slowed him down, meaning it wouldn't take long for Lucy to catch up to him.

It really didn't take all that long. Several snowballs to the back of the head later, Natsu felt his weight shifting as slender arms wrapped around his neck, pushing him forward. He faceplanted the snow again, groaning as he did so, before he turned over his shoulder. Irritated eyes managed to make out the sight of a flustered and heavily panting Lucy sitting atop his back, "You done yet?"

Her eyes narrowed, and so it began again. Seriously, Natsu started feeling as though he was taking a bath in snow. He began thrashing again and managed to roll onto his back, yet Lucy didn't relent and remained on top of him, "S-stop… moving!" She hissed as she pushed a load of snow against his face and smothered him, making him cough several times.

Lucy managed to take hold of both of his hands, and Natsu found himself surprised by the strength of her grip. Due to all the shooting in the gym, his arms were too tired for him to fight her. He shook his head to get the remaining snow away from his face, and when he refocused on Lucy, his eyes widened.

She was close. _Way too close._

The pinket swallowed down the saliva he didn't know was building up in his throat. She was straddling him, holding his hands above his head whilst her face was inches from his. He could feel her hot breath against his, and he swore had his arms not been dead he would've most likely pushed her off of him and moved to stay on top instead.

Her big brown orbs stared down at him, and if he didn't know any better he could have sworn he saw a tinge of _hunger_ in them. A light shade of pink covered her cheeks as she hovered above him, her legs tightening around his waist, her grip on his wrists strengthening.

Being at the mercy of a girl was weird. Weirdly enticing, too.

And yet, when it was just about to… ahem… 'get good,' the both of them froze when they heard a distinctly non-human sound. Natsu tilted his head to the side, and Lucy followed his gaze. Next to a tree that was close to them was a small cardboard box. Now, they would've ignored it, but a second noise – sounding much like a mewl - quickly followed, this one seeming more desperate. Natsu moved almost instantly, and Lucy got off him as she was just as curious as he was.

"This is…" Natsu breathed out, his eyes scanning the inside of the box.

"What?" The blonde asked, peeking over his shoulder. Her eyes widened when she saw a small shivering blue kitten curled up into a ball. It rustled at their presence, lifting its head up slowly. It was probably no older than two or so weeks, going by its small body, not to mention the childish mewl.

"Who in the hell…?" Lucy was surprised when Natsu growled. She quickly realized that the cat was left here by somebody; probably ended up being an unwanted pet. What kind of asshole would just throw away a kitten, especially in this weather? It pissed even her off.

Natsu wiped his hands off on his pants, rubbed them together a bit so they exuded some kind of warmth – which was pretty much like a heater, to be honest – and gently picked the kitten up, being careful not to scare it too much, "Hey there, buddy." He cooed as he pulled the cat close to his chest. It looked a bit scared at first, but Natsu gently scratched the little guy's head, behind his ears, his neck, and stroked his back to get him to calm down. Soon enough, the blue feline had relaxed and gotten comfortable in Natsu's warm hold and fell into a light slumber.

"Huh…" Lucy breathed out, watching how Natsu handled the kitten. The care and gentleness that you wouldn't expect someone as large and rough as him to have was honestly heartwarming, and Lucy didn't even notice the smile that crept up her lips, "What are you going to do with him?"

"We can't leave him here, that's for sure. The little guy's gonna freeze to death." Dragneel said with something of a frown, turning to regard the blonde. He then looked back to the cat, thinking about something, "You know what? I'm going to keep him."

"You serious?" She questioned, "I mean, will Erik be okay with it? Or, heck, does your landlord even allow pets in the place?"

"Erik's fine and the landlord _will_ _be_ fine." Natsu shrugged almost too nonchalantly, "Besides. C'mon, Luce. Who _wouldn't_ want a _blue_ cat? Like, this little guy totally beats Gajeel's cat in badass points." Lucy just rolled her eyes and chuckled at his words as he gently put the cat back in the cardboard box, later picking it up and holding it placed against his hip with one hand, "We should go before he gets cold again." He said, and the girl agreed without much complaining.

The snowball fight was, ironically, getting a bit too heated anyway.

If idiocy wasn't going to kill them, sexual tension was.

A good several moments passed and the duo plus one cat were now walking along the city center in the middle of the night. The streets were buzzing with people left and right as, despite it being so late, it was New Year's Eve, and everyone was waiting for the grand fireworks display that Magnolia was known for. Natsu and Lucy ended up chatting most of the way there, talking about simple stuff like how they were planning to spend the rest of Winter Break, mostly deciding that they would either practice/study or hang out together. The blue feline would occasionally pop its head out of its cardboard box, its curious yet alarmed gaze drifting from person to person.

The little guy was still very much afraid of so many new faces, but it somehow quickly adapted to Natsu, who was easily able to calm him down whenever the kitten seemed like he was going to escape the box and bolt for cover. It was a bit more cautious with Lucy, however, and actually nipped her finger when she tried to touch it, prompting Natsu to snicker while the blonde glared.

"Buddy's got a way with girls, doesn't he?" The pinket questioned, grinning at Lucy smugly.

"Don't you dare name him Hannibal." Heartfilia warned, making Natsu's grin widen in response.

"I was thinking more along the lines of Christian or Edward. You know… "don't get close to me, you'll get hurt, waaaaaah!"" She only rolled her eyes at his antics, feeling disgust in her throat.

As they were walking along the bridge leading to their homes, a sudden flash of light and a deafening roar made them stop in their tracks. They both turned towards the river, their eyes glazing on the colorful explosions that lit the sky ablaze, "Woah." Lucy said, amazed by the display. Sparks of fire, ice and lightning illuminated the entire city and muffled everything around them with quaking thunderous blasts. It went on, and on, and on, seeming like a never ending orchestra of beautiful aerial carnage that captivated its audience with its sheer intensity and power.

Lucy, despite having lived in Magnolia for a good several years now, had never seen the famed city's New Year's fireworks display up close before, only from her bedroom window as she never really had anyone to go with beyond her roommate who was never around at this time of the year. Unbeknownst to her, a gentle smile played its way to her lips as she watched the many lights that danced in the darkness above, feeling each explosion shaking her entire being to the core.

Her gaze then drifted to Natsu who had the exact same expression of pure amazement. She noted how his peculiarly colored onyx orbs reflected the many blinding lights like a mirror, and she felt as though, for a split second, she could look at the world through his eyes. It was... it was plain black and white, yet sometimes, on very rare occasions such as this one, the pallet would be made richer by vibrant colors like red and blue, violet and yellow, green and orange.

It was bewitching – breathtaking even, and Lucy wanted to see more. She wanted to peer into his world as often as she could, and see everything there was to see. No, she _needed_ to, and she realized she couldn't deny it for long.

Slowly, her hand moved to take hold of his which was gigantic in comparison to hers. Her gentle, slender fingers intertwined with his long and rough ones, and she could feel that he accepted her hold by the soft squeeze on her palm, her smile only grew as she tightened her grip as well, watching as his piercing gaze softened and his seemingly permanently tense body looked like it was relaxing. His shoulders slumped slightly, and his head lowered just a bit.

Without a thought, her other hand moved to grasp at his jacket, prompting Natsu to look at her, the motion making his scarf loosen just enough to reveal the rest of his face. Not a single moment passed before he felt her pull, and he ended up leaning forward to meet her. Natsu's eyes widened in shock when his lips were joined with hers, a searing hot sensation instantly painting his cheeks a vividly crimson red. Even their little blue stowaway peered out of his cardboard house to look at the couple, a quiet purr rumbling in its belly at the sight.

Finally, as the last series of explosions illuminated the cloudless heavens, Natsu eased into the kiss and closed his eyes. His hand squeezed Lucy's, and she replied with the same. The contact felt passionate, slow, and long overdue. At that certain point, Natsu didn't have a single complaint or worry. Even though he knew he was going to give himself shit later, he didn't care. This was now, and now she was all that mattered.

Loud cheers made them part, their eyes looking around to witness the many people cheering at the fireworks display that had just ended, darkness overtaking the streets with the only source of luminescence being the streetlamps above. Their eyes later met, and Natsu couldn't help but feel enthralled by the way her hazel irises glowed when she looked at him. A rosy tint decorated her facial features, several messy blonde locks cascading over her eyes.

She wore this contagious smile that Natsu couldn't possibly escape from, his own barely visible smirk being forced into existence by its infective properties. He noticed how Lucy's smile slowly yet gradually turned into a grin – a rather sly one at that.

"4-1." Lucy announced and Natsu blinked several times, dumbfounded. When it finally clicked, the basketball player averted his embarrassed eyes and hid behind his scarf, his blush only intensifying when his ears caught the sound of her warm laughter.

"Let's head home?" She questioned, and he only nodded. He refused to make eye contact as they continued their way homebound, but he didn't let go of her hand, and neither did she.

"Quiet, Happy." Natsu quietly hissed out when the blue feline began meowing with a specific undertone behind its little voice that he seriously didn't want to be bothered with.

Lucy turned to him, curious, "You named him Happy?"

The pinket shrugged, "Well, it's New Year's, and with everything that's happened lately… just feels fitting, you know?" He admitted, yet declined to meet her gaze. It was bad enough that she was somehow managing to force this mushy crap out of him; he was _not_ going to get her used to scoring points off of him like this.

The girl hummed to herself, her smile still very much intact on her delicate face. When Happy meowed again with that very same undertone, Lucy giggled and Natsu growled.

Somehow, both of them could actually understand exactly what the kitten was saying.

 _They like each other._


	16. Chapter 16

_**A/N:** Awwwwww yeee, we hit a double-triple, folks! Thank you for the continued support. Every single one of you is a magnificent bastard/bastardette! But of course I have to be a cheeky cunt and ask you to keep it up, right? A triple-triple ain't that far away, and it would be fuckin' A if you could show this one some love and give it an assload of reviews. Pretty please?_

 _Also, you might want to check out **Kuroyagi's** story titled **My Favorite Nightmare**. It's a **Natsu x Erza** story, but it's pretty damn good. _

_Anyway, the reviews!_

 ** _Moon Stone Tiger Lily:_** _...I feel played, and Siri is making fun of me now, even though I have an HTC. Damn it._

 ** _I.-.-.I Kuroyagi I.-.-.I:_** _You know, this game just randomly ended up as their thing, and I wouldn't be surprised if I decided to make it permanent. Then that score isn't that far off, lmao. And dude, come on. Wouldn't you stop an argument if you saw a thrown out cat frozen half to death? You heartless heathen! Oh please, you love those damn spoilers .~._

 ** _fantasmefantastic:_** _You... I hate you. You stole an entire day from me, you know that? No, but seriously, thanks for the recommendation. I shit you not when I say I read the entire thing in a day. **A day**. Like, at first I thought it was so damn cheesy with the way Travis had been described and stuff, but this book just had this certain allure I can't put my finger on that just held me by the balls and wouldn't let go. I kept reading, and, before I knew it, I had finished it and had thirty minutes left before work. Honestly though? I absolutely loved how dysfunctional, toxic... and at the same time beautiful his and Pidgeon's relationship was. Thanks a bunch for a day well spent. c:_

 _Now, on to the chapter! Sorry this one's a bit short - it's dialogue heavy. The fun's gonna start soon again, I promise._

* * *

 _ **Hangover**_

* * *

"Seriously?"

"Seriously." Natsu said in monotone, meeting eyes with Erik on his computer screen, giving him a deadpan expression, "What the fuck did you expect with the way you drive?"

"So you're telling me those little vibrations at forty-five miles are signs that my drive shaft is fucked?"

"Dude, those aren't signs. Your drive shaft _is_ fucked." The pinket droned, a sigh escaping him, "Like, I can't even believe how dense you are!"

"Hey, not all of us are motor geeks!" Erik said with a huff, and as a reply Natsu gave him a face.

"Look. Vibrations? Difficult turning the wheel sometimes, right? Weird noises?" Natsu questioned, and his roommate nodded to each question through their skype video call, "Telltale signs of a failing shaft, man. With the way you are behind a wheel I'm not even surprised. Did you go through 52 again?"

Erik took a long, long pause, dreading what was about to come next, "Yeah" He said, averting his eyes from Natsu.

A loud and overdramatic groan left Dragneel's throat, "Fuck's sake, E. Are you _trying_ to fuck your car up? I told you to avoid that road. That shit's more crooked than Hillary ever was."

"How much?" The pinket asked, and when Erik didn't answer he gave him a wry look, " _How much_ , Erik?"

"…three k?"

Natsu spluttered, reared his head back and howled with laughter, almost falling out of his chair as he did so. Erik's brow twitched in irritation as he glared through the screen, "Holy shit." Natsu took a second, collecting himself, "Mavis, I get that your Charger's parts ain't cheap, but _holy shit_. Who the fuck charges three grand for a goddamn drive shaft!?"

The redhead sighed tiredly again, frustrated with his roommate's antics. This always happened whenever cars were the focal point of discussion; especially when the focus was on how Erik managed to somehow mess his 2010 Dodge Charger up. _Again_ , "So what do you suggest I do?"

"Tell the guy to go fuck himself and get your precious Charger over to Gajeel's garage." Natsu said with a shrug, "Hopefully his dad will have a spare working shaft lying around somewhere. I can fix it up."

Erik blinked, "Just like that?"

"Yes, yes, just like that." Natsu said, "Your mother could probably change a fucking drive shaft and you can't even change your engine coolants by yourself."

"That's-"

"Don't think I forgot that one time _Kagura_ had to change a fucking _flat tire_ for _you_." Erik just gave up, raising his hands up defensively, "Let's just hope old man Metalicana has a spare shaft. Finding a new one for your Charger's make would be a bitch."

"Alright, alright! I get it! I'll come back a couple of days earlier and head over there."

"Don't you dare take 52 again or so help me I will shove a stick up your ass."

"What, the same one you got in yours right now?" The redhead questioned hoarsely.

"It just pisses me off when dumbasses randomly decide fucking their cars up with shitty driving is okay." Natsu said, clear irritation in his voice.

Erik rolled his eyes, "Even your roommate?"

"It's _because_ you're my roommate, jackass! Mavis, you'd think you would pick up a thing or two."

"What does that say about you as a teacher? Or an example? Or whatever the fuck you're trying to be?" Erik asked, smirking slyly when Natsu gave him a fierce glare.

"Shut your hole, you bitch."

"Where the hell is Siri in all of this?"

"I turned my phone off the second you called. Figured you'd pull some shit like this." Natsu replied, glancing at his idle iPhone tossed on his bed. He was in the middle of a text when his roommate called, and his fingers kept itching to finish that reply.

"Oh, guess I'll have to set your computer to Spanish too, huh?"

"Go fuck yourself, Erik." Natsu growled, prompting the redhead to laugh in pure amusement.

"So, how's break treatin' ya?" Erik asked, watching through his screen as Natsu let out a gust of a breath and leaned back into his chair, crossing his legs over his desk.

"Pretty damn boring. You?"

"Same, yeah."

"How's Kagura with the fam?"

Erik hummed at the question, leaning forward to rest his chin on his open palm, "She's out with mom buying groceries right now. They hit it off pretty well, all things considered. Mom used to be a finance exec too so they had loads to talk and discuss. Dad absolutely loved her-"

"Let me guess – he said she's more of a man than you'll ever be?" Natsu interjected, giving the redhead a mirthful smirk when his brows furrowed.

"Shut up." He growled, glaring, "But yeah, it was alright. I expected shit to go south but guess Kagura was right and I had nothing to worry about."

"Obviously. Come on, man. It feels as though I know her better than you do- Oh, hey there little guy." Natsu chuckled when a blue feline jumped up on to his legs and let out a childish mewl, asking to be pet.

"So we _actually_ have a cat now?" Erik questioned, snickering as he watched Natsu scratch behind the kitten's ears, smirking when it instinctively reared its head to the side to give the basketball player more of an opening.

"Yup."

"Was the landlord okay with it?"

Natsu sighed, "After I coughed up pretty much our entire collection of booze, yeah."

Erik almost choked on air, "I'm sorry, did you just say the _entire thing?_ "

"Chill, gin slinger. It's not like alcohol's that expensive. We'll get more when we hit Eclipse next week." Natsu waved him off, seeming much too nonchalant about a problem Erik thought was akin to famine.

The redhead closed his eyes for a moment, pondering on the thought before a sigh left him, "Alright, fine. You're the one paying for this shit, though."

" _Paying?_ Please." Natsu replied, chuckling, "Do you really think Ruga's going to charge _me_?"

Erik rolled his eyes, "Oh, that's right, I forgot you had that little escapade with her a few months back. How'd you call it? You _ravished_ her?"

"That's how _she_ called it." The pinket corrected, snickering.

"Too bad you can't go there anymore, huh?" Erik said, smirking when he saw Natsu's expression darken just a bit.

"The fuck are you talking about?"

"You know damn well _who_ I'm talking about."

" _Lucy._ " Natsu said as if realizing something, and Erik nodded. A groan escaped Dragneel's throat before he reached for his phone and booted it up, waiting for the display to pop up, "What has she got to do with any of this?"

" _Seriously?_ " The red haired individual palmed his face, shaking his head in dismissal, "You're _still_ denying that there's anything between you two?"

"Yeah, because there isn't."

"Is that why you're checking her texts now?"

"…shut it."

"And you call me dense." Erik said and Natsu shot him another glare before focusing on his phone. The redhead quirked a brow when he witnessed how a certain smile crept up the pinket's face that he hadn't seen in a while, and he couldn't help the smirk that surfaced on his expression, "Yeah, I can see how there's nothing there."

Natsu's brows furrowed at the comment, but he didn't bother looking up, further amusing his roommate. Erik hummed to himself quietly, "So, did anything happen between you two during break?"

Dragneel froze when his brain registered the question, and it took every fiber in his body to resist the urge to splutter or even choke, "Uuuh… no?"

"Come on, really?"

"Yeah… I mean, no... I… AGH!" He slammed his phone down, "You know what I mean!"

"Sure I do." Erik mused, finding the scene amusing, "But you're obviously lying."

"Dude, c'mon, I-"

"Yes, yes, you said you'd tell me once you figured shit out. That's not what I'm asking."

An irritated sigh of a breath escaped the pink haired basketball player as he replayed the events of the last couple of days in his head. Eventually, Natsu buckled under the pressure, albeit reluctantly, and explained in detail what had happened. From frequently hanging out with the blonde to kissing her; from finding Happy to the fireworks display and walking home together hand-in-hand.

Erik whistled, somewhat amazed, "Did you _seriously_ just say there's nothing going on between you two after _that_? I mean shit, Natsu, you hang out pretty much twenty-four-seven, and you fucking _kissed_ her. I'm pretty sure that counts as 'something going on,' you dumbass."

"I don't-"

"Listen to me, you idiot." Erik said lowly, surprising the pinket with the sudden seriousness of his tone, "I've known you for a couple of years now, and I know what you're doing right now. I also know for a fact that you're not the asshole you make yourself out to be. But at this rate you'll hurt her if you keep this shit up. Playing with someone's feelings and later shitting on them is something I'm not going to let you do to prove a goddamn point. Lucy is obviously not playing around here. You need to make up your mind already."

"You think I haven't been trying?!" Natsu suddenly lashed out, raising his voice as he slammed his hand against the table, almost knocking his webcam off his monitor, "I've been giving my damndest to try and figure out what the fuck this is. I don't want to hurt her, that's _why_ I'm saying there isn't anything between us."

"And how's that working out for you?"

Natsu didn't answer.

"When's the last time you've gone out?" Erik questioned, yet didn't wait for an answer, "Been to Eclipse? Slept with anyone? Hell, when's the last time you _flirted_ with a girl other than Lucy?" He kept saying, forcing Natsu to raise an incredulous brow.

"The fuck are you saying? I've gone abstinent?"

"Yes!" The redhead yelled to the heavens as if the truth of the world had just been revealed, "Natsu, you haven't so much as _looked_ at another girl lately. I've heard how that bombshell of a receptionist has been trying to hook up with you, and I was surprised you didn't drag her off to the bathroom first chance you got. Now I know why."

"What do you want me to tell you? Huh? That I like her?" Natsu growled out, very obviously annoyed with how this conversation has been going, "You know full well how that will turn out."

The red haired individual seriously couldn't help the sigh that escaped him, "Look, I get that your last relationship ended up like Slipknot's Snuff, but that doesn't mean you have to let that same shit happen again."

"That's exactly what I'm doing, Erik – not letting it happen again. If I admit to myself that I like her and go for it, history's going to repeat itself."

"Do you _really_ think Lucy's that kind of girl?"

Natsu took a second to process everything, running a wary hand along his hair before groaning, "No." He admitted, averting his gaze from the image of his roommate in his screen, "But I'm bound to ruin things with my bullshit."

"The only one who can't handle your own bullshit is you, dipshit, and you'll end up ruining things in the worst possible way before anything even has the chance to happen at this rate." Erik rubbed his face in exasperation, "Listen, whatever choice you're going to make, it has to happen. Like, yesterday. You two are obviously primed for a relationship, and if you're going to keep doing this shit and later shoot her down, you'll hurt her. You're basically playing her by the nose right now. Or, in terms you can better understand, you're getting into the foreplay without any intention of following through."

"I got to go. Kagura's back." He paused, "Just… just think about what I said, alright? Lucy's a good girl, and she seriously doesn't deserve the clusterfuck you're about to put her through if you keep pulling shit like this." He waited for Natsu to nod, "Talk later?"

"Yeah... Later."

He hung up.

A mixture of a tired breath and a groan left Natsu's throat as he fell back into his chair, head slumping backwards. His eyes traced the various uneven patches in his snow-white ceiling as his mind pondered over what Erik said.

Natsu knew the guy was right. He did like Lucy, and he didn't have the strength to flat out reject her by this point. He knew that he'd just let it drag on, get her hopes up, and burst her bubble whenever she wanted to make the first step. Or, hell, by now it was the second step.

He couldn't do that to her. It disgusted him.

But then again he couldn't let her get too close either. There was just too much shit on his plate that he didn't want to bother her with. Shit that almost landed him in the goddamn asylum _and_ rehab for alcohol addiction at the same time.

Lucy and he were friends. Good friends. Hell, he dared say she was one of his best friends right now, and he liked it that way. But he couldn't deny that something more was brewing between them. The lines have been blurred during New Year's, and it was obvious that they'd keep getting closer until there were no pens left to draw those lines anymore. The idea made him happy and terrified at the same time.

"Fuck me." Dragneel heaved out a breath, starting to feel sorry for giving away all his alcohol. He played with Happy's fur, scratching the kitten's belly until he got annoyed and started pawing at him with his small but sharp claws, "All this bullshit and all you have to do is eat, shit, sleep and look cute. Ain't you a lucky bastard?" He chuckled when Happy bit into his finger with his still developing teeth, drawing a little bit of blood.

The fiery haired Dragneel rustled when he heard his phone buzz alive. He turned, looking through the corner of his eye at the device's screen as it lit up. Picking the phone up after he saw who texted him, Natsu couldn't help but laugh at the irony of it all.

 _Finished work stuff and now I'm bored. Want to catch a movie or something?_

"Why does Lucy always have arguably the worst possible timing?" Natsu said to no one in particular between quiet bursts of laughter. He stared at the phone, rereading the message over and over again until the iPhone's screen darkened and the phone went idle. Erik's words replayed themselves in his brain like a mantra, and he swore he was about to get a migraine from all this unnecessary thinking.

 _Lucy's a good girl, and she seriously doesn't deserve the clusterfuck you're about to put her through if you keep pulling shit like this... huh?_

He considered it. He honestly did. But the temptation proved to be too strong to resist, and he punched in the reply without without wasting any more time.

 _Be there in twenty_.


	17. Chapter 17

_**A/N:** Holy shit... you guys actually pulled it off! A triple-triple. Damn. I'm blown away, honestly. Thank you, every single one of you! Stay awesome! No, I'm not going to get all mushy because that would go against my character. Shove off, lmao._

 _ **I.-.-.I Kuroyagi I.-.-.I:** Yes, yes you do want to read that chapter, hehe. And don't worry, Siri will continue to be the star of this shit xD_

 _ **Snavej:** I always thought Erik didn't get enough recognition in the original story. Guess that's why I'm giving him as much spotlight as I am. Hey, it works, and I'm glad you like it._

 _ **fantasmefantastic:** Oh, yeah, I've been reading that one, too! I've also been told by my super secret source that most of the other characters have separate books for them, so I guess my list of readables has just increased. Thank you for introducing me to the series, by the way. Seriously, this shit is giving me so many ideas it's ridiculous._

 _ **Guest:** Did you just use my jab at HC as a political statement...? No, nevermind._

 _ **Queen of Corners:** ...which review do I even address? You left FOUR! Thanks, by the way : D_

* * *

 _ **Hangover**_

* * *

"Alright… here… we… fuckin'… go!" A voice grumbled underneath the silvery 2010 Dodge Charger, sounding irritated. Natsu had been working on his roommate's car for the past two hours or so, pissed to hell that he was the one fixing this, not Erik. The guy was supposed to bring his car here for Metalicana to fix, but apparently he had some leftover college stuff to prepare for. Besides that, Natsu's mind was still unable to wrap around how the fuck Erik managed to screw up the vehicle this bad in the first place.

He wiped some sweat away from his forehead with his forearm, inspecting his handiwork whilst lying below the car. The drive shaft was replaced now, and it seemed like a relatively good fit, even though it wasn't made for this type of vehicle. Natsu had to replace some other parts for it to be a proper adjustment, and boy was that, in his own words, a bitch to do.

A low grumble made his brow rise before his head turned. Two dark wheels coming into the driveway caught his attention, and the roar of a mechanical behemoth's engine made him smirk just a bit. Natsu slid out from under the car, his eyes instantly glazing on the custom matte black Harley Davidson Dyna that Gajeel's dad treasured so much.

The biker slipped off his helmet to reveal the face of one of the handful of people Natsu greatly respected. Metalicana was just like Gajeel in most respects, yet visually the two were quite different. Whilst Gajeel had wild, long and unkempt pitch black hair, Metalicana's was sand-colored and fashioned into a side-cut, the long bangs on the right side of his head having been combed tidily, covering a dark-leather eyepatch. In comparison to the younger Redfox's deadly crimson eyes, Metalicana's singular orb was a deep and serene blue, portraying not only vigor but also a wisdom that was unusual even for a man his age.

The only thing similar about the father and son was the abundance of piercings they shared, even though Metalicana's looked much less out of place than Gajeel's

"How is it?" Metalicana asked in his usual deep and raspy voice as he dismounted his Harley, the beast's engine going from a deafening roar to a quiet hum and later to complete silence.

A sigh left Natsu as he stood up and tossed the wrench he used back into the toolbox, "You mean besides the usual shit Erik puts his car through? Pretty much everything was fucked."

The older male snorted in amusement as he left his black leather jacket on his workbench, and Natsu couldn't help but note how awesome the tattoos that covered practically the entirety of his arms looked, "Fill me in. Let's see if we can't fix this overpriced plastic heap of bolts."

"Drive shaft's dead, but you already knew that. I replaced it with the one you gave me, managed to fit it in somehow. Then I notice the serpentine belt's almost shredded. I don't even want to imagine what the pulleys look like. Then there's the battery, the alternator… the rotors look like crap, too…" And Natsu continued on, and on, and on, and Redfox began wondering if this was a goddamn early fifties Opel they were repairing or something. Everything was so broken down it felt ancient.

Regardless of that fact, they had a job to do. The following several hours were spent with both Natsu and Metalicana using copious amounts of swear words while fixing up Erik's car, as well as adding some extra stuff just to make sure the thing didn't break down again. Sadly for both of them, that was obviously going to happen. Natsu jotted down a mental note to give Erik a crash course on _how to not be completely retarded while driving._

"This brings me back." Metalicana mused with some amusement as he fished out two beers from his cooler box and offered one to Natsu, "Your uncle used to be just as handicapped when it came to cars."

Natsu blinked almost dumbly when what the older Redfox said registered in his brain. He accepted the offered drink and popped the cap with a stray lighter, "Bullshit. You tellin' me uncle Atlas couldn't even change his engine coolants?"

"You've no idea." Metalicana replied, smiling fondly at the memory as he sat down on the Charger's hood next to Natsu, popping a Marlboro in his mouth, "Me and Ig should've charged him for all those repairs on his Integra. Would've ended up fuckin' loaded."

"Huh." Natsu breathed out, surprised.

"Yeah. You couldn't tell now, but the dumbass used to think you poured gas into the coolant reservoir instead of antifreeze." He added, chuckling in amusement when he realized Natsu was suddenly having trouble trying not to choke on his beer.

"Mavis, _what the fuck_?" Dragneel said in between breaths, trying to keep himself from falling off the hood of the Charger while laughing.

Metalicana offered him a cigarette when he noticed that the usually tobacco-abusing Natsu wasn't smoking. He was aptly surprised when he refused, "What, my cigs not good enough for you?"

"Naw. I quit."

"You quit. _You. Quit_. That doesn't sound right." The man said, smirking when Natsu gave him a pointed glare, "What, a girl got ya whipped?"

Natsu almost choked on his beer again, yet for different reasons this time around. He turned towards the older male, his brow twitching when he saw how his smirk had grown, _can't hide anything from this guy,_ he thought, "How'd you know?"

Metalicana shrugged, taking a long drag from his cigarette, "Ig was the same way when he met Deeney." He explained, making Natsu's eyes widen, "Kept telling us how bad he felt about smoking when he was with her. Quit after two weeks, I think."

Taking a short and silent while to process this, Natsu absentmindedly began staring at his beer bottle, his mind afloat with different questions that he knew Metalicana could answer. Yet one always overpowered the other, and he couldn't possibly choose what to ask. He took a deep gulp from his beer when something finally stood out.

"What was she like back then? You know. Mom?"

"Ig never talked about her, did he?"

When Natsu shook his head in a negative, Metalicana just sighed. _Damn it, Igneel, you assclown!_

"She was the fiercest woman I've ever met. Probably knocked the living daylights out of me and Ig more times than I can remember." He said, a nostalgic smile creeping up his lips, "Deeney was the type of person who wouldn't think twice about kicking some douche in the nuts for disrespecting her friends. She didn't give a flying fuck about what people thought of her either. It was always about someone else. It was funny, really. She'd come back all messed up after a catfight only to cry herself to sleep over some cheesy chick-flic on TV. More than half the time _she_ was the man in the house, I swear."

Metalicana noticed the small smile that morphed Natsu's features, "Yeah. She was pretty strict with us, too."

"Figured she'd never change." Redfox nodded, "But she was kind in her own right. Doesn't matter what kind of shit you were in, she'd always help. In a blunt and straightforward way. She had something about her that made you realize things about yourself, too. Hell, the only reason I got out of street racing was because of her."

"Seriously?"

"Yeah." Metalicana laughed, "She kept going off at me about it. Telling me shit like I was going to end up dead and other crap that I thought was bull. I didn't listen to her at first and she eventually got in the car with me this one time. Said she'd co-pilot every single race from then on. I don't think I've ever been so terrified of something in my life."

"What did she do?" Natsu asked, genuinely curious.

"Nothing." The older male admitted, "It was just… to this day I can't really explain it, but it was just her being there. I guess it made me realize that it wasn't just my own life I was putting on the line, you know? I quit that shit right then after that. Drove us both home and my street racing career was over just like that."

Natsu was quiet while Metalicana spoke, hanging onto every single word. His father never spoke about his mother, and whenever Natsu asked things took a turn for the worst. Eventually he'd learned to just keep that curiosity that gnawed at him at bay. That earned him a myriad of sleepless nights where he just stared at his bedroom's ceiling, thinking about what kind of person his mother was. The person he never got to know.

And hearing about her felt like the breath of fresh air Natsu longed for.

"Oh, that reminds me." Metalicana suddenly said, waking the pinket from his musings. Natsu watched as the older Redfox rummaged through his pockets, fishing out his wallet. He pulled out a somewhat crumpled photo from inside it and handed it to him, "Here, this belongs with _you_."

Natsu's breath hitched when he took the item and examined it. It was a picture of their younger selves; the whole squad in their early twenties. Grandeeney was at the forefront, showing a bright smile while holding up a peace sign, her long beautiful silver hair cascading down her shoulders. She wore that very same necklace Natsu gave Lucy, too. Igneel was behind her, sporting medium-length crimson hair and an unkempt stubble. He was kissing the back of the woman's head, eyes closed as a seemingly permanent smile was etched on his face, his hands wrapped around her waist. To the side was a younger and eyepatch-less Metalicana, hair trimmed into a buzz-cut, several piercings and much fewer tattoos. He was grinning smugly, one hand shoved in his pants' pocket while the other was messing up the hair of who Natsu recognized to be his uncle's younger self who seemed to be laughing his ass off. He looked like the exact replica of his father, the only difference being that Atlas kept his hair short and his facial hair trimmed.

The picture just oozed happiness, and Natsu couldn't help but smile. He felt a twinge in his chest, both from the sight and from the fact that Metalicana was offering this to him, "Are you sure? I mean, you probably don't have many of these lying around-"

"And you don't have any, do you?" The tattooed individual suddenly asked, catching Natsu off-guard. He eventually shook his head as he remembered how Igneel was right after his mom passed, "Keep it." Natsu felt a hand on his head, messing up his already unruly pink locks, "Consider it a birthday present."

"Thanks, old man." Natsu said, his smile only growing as he kept staring at the picture, burning the image of it in his mind.

"Don't sweat it, kid." Metalicana said, laughing, "Now how about you stop staring at that thing and get the hell off my property? Pretty sure we've fixed that damn car of yours. I've got some cleanin' up to do." He said, elbowing Natsu who offered a chuckle in response.

"Alright, alright. Don't get your panties in a twist." The pinket replied, finishing his beer before getting into the Charger's driver's seat. He hit the ignition and rolled down his window, "Yo, thanks for helping out with the car. Though I'll probably be back here in like a month, if we're lucky."

"I'll charge ya next time." Was the reply he got, and Metalicana aptly laughed when Natsu's face paled. Before Natsu could hit the gas, Redfox leaned into the window, "He called, you know?" He said, making Natsu grimace.

"When?"

"About a week ago."

"Did you tell him anything?"

"Not my place." Metalicana shook his head, "I have a vague idea of what Ig did, but he's still your pops, Natsu. The guy's been through hell and back."

"He ain't the only one." The pinket replied with a cold tone that made the tattooed man sigh.

"Just think about it, ya hear me?" When Natsu nodded, Metalicana tapped the roof of Erik's Charger and watched the pinket speed away. He rubbed the back of his head lazily before groaning, "Of all the things he inherited, why'd it have to be your damn stubbornness, Deeney? You two are like fucking peas in a pod."


	18. Chapter 18

_**A/N:** Now _this _was a bitch to write. 10k~ words. Jebus, I'm proud of myself. Anyway, yeah, I know this one's a bit ahead of schedule when you consider how frequently I've been updating recently, but I made a promise, and I fully intend to keep it, teehee._

* * *

 _ **Hangover**_

* * *

Natsu shifted gears as he drove along Magnolia's streets, bobbing and weaving between lanes to avoid the obstacles that were the other cars. His mind was afloat with different thoughts and emotions, yet his eyes were instinctively glued to the street in front of him.

He took the long way back home from Metalicana's, realizing that he needed to clear his head before Erik used his good cop/bad cop routine on him. What Metalicana told him had him floating above cloud nine, but the single mention of his dad calling notoriously FUBARed everything up. Well, almost everything. His head turned, eyes locking on the picture that was left lying on the passenger's seat.

A sigh left him when he stopped in front of a stoplight. Unable to sit still, Natsu fiddled with the radio, hoping that the music would somehow distract him from the cacophony of different images annoying him. He did wonder how his dad was on occasion, but whenever he did he still felt rage bubbling up within him. He knew he shouldn't be angry, though. Igneel was only doing what any father would; every parent had an irrational form of faith in their children and it didn't matter if it was a black sheep they were dealing with or not. Yet anger was easier to handle than that sinking feeling in his chest, so he stuck with it.

Natsu finally landed on one of his frequented radio-stations, feeling relieved that a song he liked was on air. Between the loud thrashing music and the rumble of the car's engine, he managed to catch a giggle that was just a few octaves short of 'fuck me!' A BMW was waiting for the light to hit green on the lane just next to him, _an E36, I think_. It was difficult to recognize the exact model due to how stupidly pimp my ride-esque it was. The driver was no doubt one of those idiots that posted over fifty pictures of his car per day on Facebook. Douchebags like this were why _actual_ speed-devils were given a bad rep.

His eyes locked on the female that was riding shotgun. Natsu had to admit, she was pretty easy on the eyes. She was smiling mischievously, nibbling on her index finger while her big and round viridescent eyes were practically undressing him. Natsu gave her his usual pickup smirk and winked, and she giggled again, returning the gesture. That apparently didn't go too well with the driver sitting next to her as the BMW's obnoxiously loud engine was revved a couple of times.

If cars could get constipated, he was pretty sure that piece of crap right there would be the poster boy for every new Dulcolax ad.

Natsu rolled his eyes when the guy who was wearing the typical Adidas ballcap glared holes into his temple. While on neutral, Natsu floored the gas pedal several times, letting the idiot hear what a decently maintained engine was supposed to sound like. He heard another giggle and he had to stiffle a laugh when he noticed how frustrated that dude was getting.

When he revved his engine again, Natsu cringed and thought his earbuds were about to burst.

The idiot kept abusing his poor car, and when Natsu glared the female next to him mouthed a quick _sorry!_ before nudging the driver. The pinket knew what this guy wanted. Normally, he would've easily ignored it. But in his current state, he pretty much thought fuck it and accepted the challenge as the traffic light changed to yellow.

The concept of taking this douche down a couple of pegs was just too much to pass up.

Natsu grinned as his hand gripped his gear shift on instinct, regardless of the fact that the car was an automatic. As soon as the light hit green, both cars zoomed away instantaneously, the roars of their engines fighting for supremacy, catching the attention of pedestrians who stopped to watch the spectacle.

Despite not having been behind the wheel of Erik's car too many times, Natsu had too much experience with cars to fall behind. His turn-handling and footwork on the pedals was practically perfect as he sped down the street. Suffice it to say the wannabe-racer was left gawking at his taillights in a matter of seconds. He wondered how embarrassed that asshole would be in front of his girl. The thought made him chuckle.

A few turns and intersections later Natsu was finally in his driveway. He parked, collected his things and hopped out of the car before making his way to their apartment. The would-be race managed to get his thoughts back in order, the adrenaline rush still fresh in his system. He wasn't someone who was too into racing, but when someone had the gall to fuck with him on the streets the pinket always felt like it was his job to leave them choking on dust.

"Oh, you're back."

"From doing your goddamn job for you, yeah. And don't look _too_ surprised. I'll think you were jacking off or something." Natsu replied with a grimace, tossing the Charger's keys to Erik, "You fuck your car up again – you're fixing it. Be happy Metalicana didn't charge us for it. We would've paid a small fortune for all those parts he pulled out his ass."

"Thank him for me, would ya?"

"Already did."

Natsu plopped down on their living room couch, suddenly feeling exhausted. It had been a while since he worked on anything remotely resembling a car. He was just glad Metalicana was there to help – having to work on that busted up Charger would've killed him.

"How's that project thing you told me about?" The pinket questioned through a yawn, glancing at Erik who chuckled, working the TV remote to find a decent channel to watch.

"Yeah, uuh…" The redhead paused, making Natsu quirk a brow, "It's done. Was a bitch, honestly."

"What was it?"

"…just some thesis prep. Nothing major."

Natsu's eyes narrowed dangerously at his roommate who just ignored it. He sighed, _whatever_ , and swiped the remote, ignoring Erik's whining before leaving it at some weird-ass music channel way too reminiscent of MTV. The old MTV, where the channel that was supposed to promote music wasn't airing retarded reality TV shows and encouraging kids to be like Miley Cyrus.

Wrecking Ball _still_ made him want to slit his wrists.

His eyelids were getting heavy, breathing low. He closed his eyes and before he knew it around two hours went by. Natsu yawned, swearing at himself for dozing off. Before he could even move out of his seat, he felt cold. Like skinny-dipping in the Arctic in the middle of winter cold. Natsu practically rolled off the sofa, cursing, swearing and flailing his hands about comically as the ice-cold water completely drenched him. He felt like he was in his bed between Gray and Juvia post-Christmas party.

He still had to sock that stripper one for that.

"Surprise!"

"The _fuck_?!" Natsu roared in outrage as glaring onyx eyes looked up and instantly softened when he saw Erik, Kagura and Lucy, all smiles. The three of them were holding separate buckets each which they just used to perform the dead ice-bucket challenge thing on him. _It's winter, you jackasses!_

He wanted to let his brain wrap around the situation. Hell, he actually wanted to say something. Yet those assholes made sure to make the water cold enough it fucked even with him. He shivered in place, teeth grinding, until he finally slipped out of his drenched T-shirt and threw it straight into Erik's face, "Way to thank me for the car, asswipe. And what the hell are _you_ doing here?"

"It's your birthday. Duh." Lucy deadpanned, amused by his reaction and slightly flustered by his naked torso at the same time.

Natsu turned to Erik, irritated "Didn't we agree we'd celebrate it on Cool Fairies?"

"Hey, don't look at me, it was Lucy's idea." He said, raising his hands up defensively.

"And the ice-water?"

" _That_ was Erik's doing." Kagura chimed in, snickering.

"Fucking- what the hell, E!? You douche nozzle!"

"You were back earlier than we thought and fell asleep. You have to admit, it was perfect."

"Perfect my ass, it's fucking January! When I get pneumonia I'll make sure to slobber all over you!" Dragneel growled and Erik's face paled at the concept.

"Don't be a baby." Lucy interjected with a light laugh, pulling a towel over Natsu's head before drying his hair with it, making extra sure to massage behind his ears. Natsu was just about to say something, but the words didn't come out. His eyes locked on her smiling face and it felt as though they caught in his throat. He tried his best to look anywhere but at her and fought to contain the pink that threatened to show itself on his cheeks. Sadly accomplishing that was easier said than done.

This, much to Natsu's dismay, didn't go unnoticed by the blonde who snickered and leaned in closer, " _4-2_." She whispered in his ear. He swore if Erik and Kagura weren't in the room with them he would have spread her eagle over their couch at that very moment. He seriously felt like _now_ would have been the best time for another bucket of ice-cold water, and boy oh boy was he glad he wasn't wearing sweatpants.

Out of the corner of his eye Natsu spotted his roommate and his girlfriend. Both of them were sporting expressions that pissed the pinket off by a margin of 'those two should go fuck themselves in the backdoor,' but he forced himself to stifle any comments. Instead, he grabbed Lucy by the wrist and dragged her to his room, slamming the door shut behind them.

Heartfilia just remained standing next to the closed door, slightly confused. Her eyes drifted around his room, noting the plainness of his white walls. The usually expected myriad of posters featuring naked women and stolen street signs was missing. Only a couple of framed pictures were on display above his desk where two overly large monitors stood proud, connected to a desktop computer. He also had an unmade two-person sectional sofa-bed in the corner of the room, a bookcase which looked like he used for anything but books, and a dresser with a mirror on its door.

Lucy didn't know what she was expecting, but the simplicity of his room actually surprised her.

"Uuuh… Natsu?" She voiced, noting how stiff his shoulders seemed as he just stood in place, his back to her as he refused to look at her.

The pinket was startled when she called out to him. He finally relented, and when he saw her he had an extremely difficult time containing himself. They were in his room, alone. The urge to walk up to her, pin her to his wall and kiss every nook and cranny of her body was driving him insane. He imagined her moaning against his touch, his lips feeling the vibrations of her throat while they caressed her neck.

He shook his head, the images getting vivid enough to cause discomfort, _what the fuck is wrong with me?_

Lucy tilted her head to the side ever so slightly, watching Natsu as he kept his eyes glued to her. It made her feel self-conscious, but she kept herself from budging. Eventually, when the pinket didn't give a reply, she placed her hand on the door handle, "I… I guess I'll let you change. Yeah."

 _Fuck_! Natsu thought, actually catching the slimmer of disappointment in her voice.

"No… No!" He ordered, grabbing her wrist again.

"Okay?... Natsu, what do you want from me?"

 _I can think of a few things_ , his self-control was slipping and he was fully aware of it which frankly made things worse, "Just… just stay here while I change, alright?"

Lucy blinked, "You're being weird."

 _Whose fault do you think that is?_

A sigh escaped Lucy when he didn't answer, and Natsu watched as she went to sit on his bed. The similar urges from before assaulted the pinket again, and he had to force himself to move to his dresser instead of pouncing on her.

He coudn't tell what was going on with him, but it was making him go crazy. As soon as he saw Lucy in his apartment it almost set him off, especially when he saw what she was wearing. Her V-neck revealed _way_ _too much_ cleavage, and those white jeans that were practically glued to her legs left almost nothing to his imagination. The towel stunt she pulled wasn't helping matters much either. He thought back to his conversation with Metalicana, and he couldn't help but think that that's what changed everything. He was feeling overly conscious of Lucy's presence, and even while he looked for a pair of fresh clothes he thought her gaze was burning through the back of his skull.

Mavis, this woman wasn't even doing anything and she managed to drive him nuts. The one thing keeping him at bay right now was the conversation he had with Erik a couple of days ago and the memories it brought back. He wanted nothing more than to make her his, but the singular chance of history repeating itself made him kill his urges.

But he knew why he was keeping her in his room. Kagura and Erik. The way they looked at the two of them… Natsu knew if he left her alone with them they were going to say something stupid to make everything worse. Erik he could trust to keep his mouth shut, _I hope_ , despite what he said, but Kagura… she had been going on and on about how she'd love to see Natsu and Lucy get together, and that was what scared him.

Without saying anything else Natsu hid behind his dresser's door to get dressed. Lucy, on the other hand, took this chance to investigate her surroundings. His bookcase housed a collection of both vinyl and CD music, all from different artists she recognized Natsu liked. He also had a variety of different headphones, ranging from Skullcandies to Beats by Dre. A singular basketball had a shelf all for itself, and she noticed with some curiosity how many signatures it had on it; a testament to how many high-level games he'd seen, no doubt. A black Walden acoustic guitar hung loosely on the side of the bookcase, and Lucy made a mental remark to ask the pinket if he knew how to play as he never mentioned it before.

What really caught the blonde's attention were the many picture frames hanging just above his desk. She stood up and quietly trudged towards them. Some of them were of Natsu and his friends, others she couldn't recognize but she assumed they were of his family. There were some with famous basketball players who she didn't really know. A smile crept up the blonde's lips when she saw a picture of a younger Natsu, grinning from ear to ear as he held up a trophy above his head and was surrounded by a mass of cheering people.

"What're you smiling at?" Natsu called.

"Just looking at your photos." Lucy said, waiting for him to join her.

"Oh, this one." A chuckle left Natsu's throat as his eyes traced Lucy's gaze, "We won the inter-high back in high school. It was everyone's dream back then. Mavis, I can't believe it's been almost three years already."

"You guys actually won?"

"Don't sound so surprised, Luce." He rolled his eyes before smirking, "Kicked the shit out of Gray's team, too."

It was her turn to chuckle before pointing to another one, "And this one?"

"This… _this_ is where I met _Yuri_ motherfucking _Dreyar_." He explained, puffing out his chest proudly. Sure, the dude was scary as fuck to the young Natsu, but he was nicer than he looked and agreed to pose with him for a picture.

He _still_ couldn't believe he was Laxus' uncle. No fucking way.

"Who's that?"

That took a second to register in Natsu's brain. Okay, he knew Luce drew blanks whenever it came to basketball, but there was no possible way she didn't know the face of the league from the mid-90s ten years straight, "Tell me you're not serious right now."

She nudged him with her elbow playfully, giggling, "Of course not, silly. Even I know how many Most Valuable Player awards this guy's won."

To say Natsu was relieved was an understatement.

Lucy kept asking about some of the pictures, Natsu kept answering, telling her stories about his high school basketball career, his life before coming to university, things like that. Eventually Lucy noticed that Natsu seemed to be deep in thought when he had become unusually silent. She turned to him, curious.

"What's wrong?"

He shook his head, "Nothing, it's just…" Natsu took down a frame off the wall of him with another basketball player and gave it a one-over, "Yeah, this one should do."

Puzzled, Lucy watched as the pinket fished out a photo from his jeans' back pocket and replaced it with the one in the frame, "Perfect."

The picture he placed in there was of four people she couldn't recognize. And yet something about them struck as familiar to the blonde. Four people, all in their early twenties. A couple and two others. Lucy noticed with what fondness Natsu was smiling while his soft gaze was all but locked on the framed picture, and she wondered who those people were.

When she saw the necklace the woman was wearing, it finally hit her. Lucy's hand almost instinctively travelled to that very same necklace that hung just above her breasts.

"Is that…?"

"Yup." Natsu's smile grew, "Metalicana gave it to me while I was fixing up Erik's car. I don't have any pictures of my mom, so… y'know." He explained, and while Lucy noticed the melancholic undertone in his voice when he said it, his smile never even faltered.

"That's my uncle. Atlas." Natsu said, pointing to one of the red haired males, "He's kind of a dumbass, but he's a good guy. Took me to loads of basketball games when I was a kid. He was good at playing, too. Used to play for FTU back in the day. Taught me all I know, honestly. Probably more. Though I could easily take him now. Old bastard barely gets up from his sofa nowadays except when he needs to go to the fridge for a beer."

Lucy giggled at his remark, nodding all the while. She listened to him speak, a smile on her face. Natsu felt his body freeze up for a split second when she leaned on him and rested her head on his shoulder, her hazel eyes still very much locked on the picture. It didn't take long for Natsu's smile to return as he exhaled softly, shaking his head just a bit.

"This is Metalicana."

"I thought he looked familiar. Has a lot of… _Gajeel_ in him."

Natsu couldn't help the snicker that left his lips.

"He's my godfather, Luce. Be nice." Natsu said, flicking her gently over the forehead and suppressing a chuckle when she pouted, "He helped me out a lot when I got to Magnolia. You know, being by myself, jobless and all that."

"That's your dad behind your mom, right?" Lucy asked, "Didn't he help?"

"Yeah, and… no." Natsu replied, trying to sound as nonchalant as he could which wasn't missed by the blonde girl leaning on him, "He… my dad, he uh… it's complicated. I didn't need his help, let's just leave it at that."

"Anyway." The pinket quickly started, trying to both change the subject before Lucy got curious – which he knew was already too late - and lighten the mood a bit at the same time, "All four of them are FTU alumni, and boy did they get into a lot of trouble, or so Metalicana and my uncle say. There was apparently this one time they got into a scuffle with Sabertooth, it was hilarious-"

And Natsu kept speaking, surprised that Lucy didn't ask anything about his dad. He knew she wanted to, and he felt bad that he couldn't give her any answers. Well, it wasn't like he couldn't. He didn't want to. Talking about his father made Natsu anxious. Anxious and angry. And those were the two states of mind that Natsu didn't want to be in. Not in front of her.

He liked to talk with her. To talk about himself with her. And he liked to listen to whatever she had to say, too. It was a give and take relationship, and Natsu wouldn't have it any other way.

Lucy wasn't like other girls. She didn't act like she was high on pheromones whenever she was with him, and she didn't spend time with him just so she could get into his pants. She didn't parade herself like a whore in front of him, nor did she try to achieve some weird social status by being someone who hangs out with _Natsu Dragneel_ , who apparently everybody wanted to hang with.

She was different. The girl from the BMW from before looked at Natsu as if he was just another cute face for whom she could spread her legs and solve all the world's problems, regardless if she had a boyfriend or not. Natsu didn't have anything against it, honestly. But he sure as hell wasn't looking for salvation in all the wrong places. He would sleep with her, sure. Indulge in that one night of familiar ecstasy until it ran out and he called a cab for her without even waiting for morning.

And he was always antagonized for it. Always the asshole who was literally dubbed the _infamous_ _walking one-night stand of FTU_. But he didn't give a shit. If the girl acted like a slut, she would be treated like a slut and nothing else.

Natsu didn't used to be like this. In his first year he was just like anybody else; a clueless freshman who was blind to the ways of the world like most were. He didn't sleep around. He didn't even party much either. Natsu was focused on his studies, trying to move past the life he had before. Until he met her. The fabled ex-girlfriend who managed to break Natsu 'Salamander' Dragneel's heart.

Everything went downhill from there. To cope, Natsu drank. To pass time, he drank. To fall asleep, he drank. He slept around. He got into fights. And when he lost the final game of last year's inter-uni championship, the bottom of his downward spiral was reached, and the metamorphosis of Natsu's personality was complete. He became a husk of his former self. Snarky, cynical, and an all-around nasty existence that he was surprised people bothered to deal with.

His friends didn't blame him for it, though. On the contrary. They were surprised he managed to deal with it, as fucked up as it was. Erik, Kagura, Jellal, Gajeel, Gray, Laxus, Lisanna, Metalicana, Atlas, and everybody else… they were there for him. They helped him out when he needed them most, and he would be eternally grateful for it. More than words could ever describe.

And then came Lucy. A complete and utter anomaly. Natsu didn't know what it was about her that struck him so bad, but he was completely playing into her fingers, whether she realized it or not. Lucy was humble, honest, diligent, earnest, smart, funny, friendly, kind, caring, loving and so much more that Natsu couldn't even begin to describe. She was the type of person you would rarely ever meet anywhere else but in your dreams. Undamaged, uninfluenced by anything other than her own thoughts and emotions. She was like a breath of fresh air in a jungle of ash and smoke.

The complete opposite of what he was.

He had seen her angry, he had seen her worried. He joined her when she was happy, and he was beside her when she was vulnerable. Everything that happened from that damnable hangover to this particular point in time led Natsu to different realizations which left him conflicted. They made him question himself. Made him ask himself whether what he was doing was the right thing. And frankly it was turning him into a mess.

Lucy was the person who Natsu's former-self would've enjoyed being around. She was probably also the person who he would have fallen for before as well. He began noticing it a few days after Winter Break started and they hung out more often. He laughed more when he was with her. Smiled more. Was more honest, both with others and himself. He began focusing on basketball more. He quit smoking. Barely drank anything, too. And for the life of him he couldn't understand how she managed to make him go without sex for more than a month already without even trying.

Too deep in his own thoughts, Natsu hadn't even noticed how he stopped talking and went completely silent, too far in his subconscious to acknowledge anything around him. The facts were like open cards before him, and the choice he had was between folding and playing a full house.

But Natsu was still too scared. Still too worried that the enemy that was his past had a hand to play that was stronger than his, and he couldn't even muster up the poker face to hide it. It wasn't just that anymore, either. He now knew the kind of person Lucy was, and he perfectly understood the kind of person he was. He was afraid he might be the one to damage her. He changed. He fell from grace. And he was terrified of the possibility that he might drag her down with him while she tried to save him.

It was proven by how much he wanted her. By how much he craved to throw her down to his bed just moments before. But he also realized that she was the one to drag him out of that stupor. To make him become thoughtful, reflecting. And above all he was starting to feel again. Feel things that he would have otherwise completely ignored.

 _Lucy's a good girl, and she seriously doesn't deserve the clusterfuck you're about to put her through if you keep pulling shit like this._

The decision of whether or not he was going to attempt this leap of faith was becoming more difficult by the second, and Natsu didn't even know what to think or feel about it anymore.

"You alright?" Lucy asked, looking up at the pink haired basketball player.

He exhaled a deep and rigid breath as he placed the picture frame on his desk; right next to the silver medal he 'won' last year.

"No. I don't think I am."

Before Lucy could even think of a response Natsu pulled her closer towards him. His hands snaked around her waist into an embrace, and she felt her cheek against his chest, "N-Natsu?" She asked with a stutter, surprised yet not shaken.

"You-… do me a favor and let's just stay like this for a while, okay?"

Lucy's mind blanked for a split second before she recognized what his words meant. Before she realized how broken his voice sounded and how much effort he put into what was practically a prayer.

Relaxing into his embrace, Lucy wrapped her arms around his neck and eased herself into his hold. Her lips touched his collarbone, and she smiled against his touch, feeling happy that he decided it was safe to let her into his bubble.

"Okay."

To say that his thoughts and emotions right now were a convoluted mess would be an understatement, but Natsu took this short reprieve that she allowed him to have and savored it. He was using her; he fully understood that. But Natsu couldn't help himself. She was there for him – something he admittedly knew she would do – and he shamelessly indulged. He wasn't as prone to emotional strain as he used to be. It got to the point that he even forgot what this feeling was. He was tired. Exhausted, even.

The conflicting effects she had on him were terrifying.

Moments, however, seemed like minutes. Minutes like seconds. Everything was going too fast, and he realized it wouldn't be enough no matter what he did. He would have to face the decision sooner or later, and it looked like the former was more likely than the latter of the two.

Natsu towered over her, and Lucy had to stand on her toes to get comfortable into their embrace. He found that incredibly cute; so much so that it managed to calm him just enough for him to be able to begin getting his thoughts in order.

Her presence was intoxicating; the calming effect it had on him was indescribable. It was like nothing else even mattered as long as she was there. He was fully conscious of his dilemmas, but her being there kept him completely at ease and capable of facing them with a level head. She gave him a perfect equilibrium between order and chaos. She created ground for him to stand on, and it was driving him mad. _How?_ _Why?_ he asked himself over and over again, trying to figure out how in the hell he managed to get so goddamn whipped.

By a girl, no less. A creature he promised himself he would never be dependent on again. Ever.

Eventually Natsu leaned back so he could look into her stunning hazel eyes, and she did the same. He had memorized the different features of her face already; the way her brows rose whenever she was happy, how her large eyes glistened when she gazed into something she wanted, the different shades of red that colored her already rosy cheeks when she felt embarrassed, and that subtle twist of her delicate lips when she was close to him. Only when she was close to him.

He hadn't even realized that was slowly leaning in closer until he noticed that Lucy closed her eyes. _Shit_! he thought, realizing that he was unable to stop himself. He was about to make _the_ _leap_ , the spell she put on him too strong for him to fight it.

Until a knock on Natsu's door made both of them jump.

"Oi, lovebirds! Come on, coffee's getting cold!"

 _Saved by the douchebag!_ Natsu screamed out inwardly, a sudden rush of emotions making him burst out into a howling laughter after Erik unwittingly saved him from committing something he thought he might regret.

Lucy looked about as confused as the Amish guy who wandered into E3, and that only further increased Natsu's amusement. He didn't even try to contain his laughter, realizing it was pointless unless he wanted to choke on it.

"Thanks, Luce. Seriously." Natsu managed to give her a bright and toothy smile while he went to the door. The action made her eyes widen in surprise before she returned the gesture, offering a small smile of her own.

"Yeah."

"You two done making out?" Erik asked through a grin while placing two coffee mugs on the table.

"What are you, twelve?" Lucy hissed as she plopped down on their living room loveseat, and Natsu only snickered as he sat down beside her.

 _Wait, what?_ _Since when did they swap roles?_ was what Kagura thought, blinking almost dumbly as she watched the duo. They had a certain air around them that she noticed but couldn't exactly pinpoint. It was like something had happened between them just now, but at the same time not quite. She sighed, shrugged, smiled, and made her way to the kitchen, all in that order.

"Ten years older than that, actually. But thanks for that! I'm flattered you think I look so young."

"I'm fairly certain that wasn't a compliment, E." Natsu said.

"Since we're on the topic of people who are twenty-two…" Kagura's voice sounded, catching the attention of everyone present, "Happy birthday, Natsu!"

The dark haired female charged into the living room, holding a cake that she placed in the middle of the table they circled. While Natsu didn't like cakes that much, he absolutely adored tangerines. It was an honest to God homemade tangerine cake that no doubt took a while to make, and Natsu's gaze darted between Kagura and Lucy.

"We had help." Lucy smiled, motioning towards his roommate with her head.

"It's delicious." Erik said and smirked smugly, to which the other three people in the room promptly rolled their eyes.

"Shit, guys. This is…" Natsu smiled at the sight, two number two candles lit on the very top of the cake, "Thank you."

The trio in question returned the gesture, "You should, you know, make a wish and shit." Erik said.

Smile still very much intact, Natsu did as he was told. He kept the wish to himself as he blew out the candles with one quick exhale of oxygen, burying it deep in his heart in the hopes that it would never come to fruition. But, in the back of his head, he did it so that it hopefully would. Karma had it out for Natsu; whenever he wished for something to not happen, it usually did, and the pinket, despite what he'd otherwise say, was banking on it.

The next couple of hours were happily spent by the two couples indulging in coffee and tangerine cake. They talked, joked, and laughed, discussing how the upcoming semester was likely to turn out.

"Mrs. Maddox is going to blow a gasket when she sees the third chapter of my thesis, I swear." Erik said, sighing.

"You mean she'll flay your ass, toss you to the curb and let the vultures eat your intestines?" Natsu questioned, stuffing his mouth with cake.

"That's oddly specific." Kagura said, quirking a curious brow.

"Mrs. Maddox is not known for her… mercifulness, let's just leave it at that." Lucy explained.

"I still remember when you showed her your research topic and she almost skinned you alive." Natsu said, chuckling.

"Yeah, I'm just lucky her husband was there. Dude looks like a fuckin' pro MMA fighter but it feels as though he's the softer one. Whipped."

Eventually the small group began playing card games and other stuff until late in the evening. By around eight PM some of them were getting restless and that didn't go unnoticed by the birthday boy.

"What's up with you guys?" Natsu asked, noticing how Erik kept checking his phone.

"Oh, uh…" He paused, and Natsu sensed that very same suspiciousness from the guy before he got drenched.

"We should go to Eclipse." Kagura suddenly interjected, and Natsu gave her an incredulous glare.

" _Kagura_." The pinket said tiredly, " _Come on_. Celebrating stuff ahead of plans is one thing. But going to drink?"

"Don't be like that, pinky. It'll be fun!" The red haired basketball player said, nudging his roommate with his elbow a couple of times while winking, "We'll just get a couple of shots in and head home. Promise!"

"That's what you said last time and we ended up getting shitfaced with fucking _Bacchus_! And…" _And I ended up banging Cana, who didn't leave our place for_ two whole days _after that, for fuck's sake!_ he was about to say, yet decidedly kept his mouth shut.

"And?"

"Nothing." Natsu said.

"It might be fun." Lucy suddenly said.

"Not you too, Luce!"

"Hey! I've never been to a bar with you guys." She admitted, snickering, "Don't worry. I'll keep Erik's alcoholic claws off of you."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Natsu and Lucy made eye-contact for a split second. Natsu's feeble attempt at a puppy-dog plea ended when he noticed the glint in her eyes that said it was impossible to change her mind now. He released a _very_ tired and irritated sigh.

"Fine… Fuck it! Alright!"

" _El termino_ fuck _no se encuentra en la base de datos. Por favor, repita la palabra desea definir._ "

"Oh go to hell, Siri!" Natsu growled at the phone in his jeans' pocket whilst the others just burst out laughing.

" _Bueh, hola para vos tambien. Tanto tiempo sin vernos._ "

"Shut up."

" _Pajero._ "

At one point between laughing at Natsu's misery and finishing the rest of their cake and coffee, the group got ready to head out. Natsu helped Lucy with her jacket and held the door for her. She smiled and thanked him whilst Erik gave him his best shit-eating grin when the girls couldn't see.

"Bow chicka bow wow."

"Fuck off."

It wasn't a long walk from their home to Eclipse, but between trying to not slip on ice, Natsu and Erik getting into a snowball fight and the girls almost dying from laughter at the expense of Siri going off every time the pinket got hit in the face by a snowball, it took them around half an hour to reach their destination. Normally it took around five minutes. Living in the center of town had its perks.

The lights in Eclipse were dimmed to the point you could barely see inside, but the place was definitely open. Natsu nodded his head to the security guard as he was the last one in and, well… let's just say the sight within almost made his heart stop.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!"

Natsu jumped at the mixture of voices almost making his sensitive earbuds burst. His eyes practically bulged out of their sockets before a small smile made its way to his lips.

"You goddamn assholes…"

" _Ignorare eso. Feliz cumpleaños!_ "

Everyone he got along with was there. The entirety of the basketball team, both starters and bench players, had a table of their own. Even Jellal and Erza were there. Gray was with Juvia, Gajeel was with Levi and Metalicana, and Laxus was with… _holymotheroffuck!_

 _Yuri_ motherfucking _Dreyar_.

Natsu bit down all of his fanboy urges and focused on the other people present. Bacchus and Cana were there, already tipsy. Lisanna and Elfman were present, but he noted that their elder sister wasn't. _Odd_. A couple of professors were there, too. Namely Wakaba and Macao, the two he got along with the most. Mest was there, looking like he was seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. Thesis-induced, no doubt. Ikaruga, Ultear and the Agria sisters were manning the bar. The owner, Precht – a dude who seemed centuries old if you were to ask Natsu – was calmly sitting in the corner by the bar with a glass of bourbon close by, looking through some folders.

Everyone was congratulating him in their own particular way. Some came up to hug him, shook his hand or offered some kind words. Others just grinned at him or raised a glass in his name. The barmaids all took turns congratulating their former coworker, kissing him on both cheeks and snapping a picture in which he looked like the man of the house… and then another with Precht looming over them like a titan, which admittedly scared the bajeezus out of the basketball player.

"Happy birthday, kid." A voice startled the overwhelmed pinket, and when he turned and saw who exactly it had come from he completely froze in place.

Erik almost choked while laughing hysterically when he saw Natsu's reaction as Yuri spoke to him. Laxus smirked, winking to Lucy who waved back with a grin on her face.

"Don't lose your game face now, dumbass!" A grinning Metalicana suddenly interjected as he came up from behind, slamming both of his hands on Dragneel's shoulder, "You'll scare your idol away."

"S-Shut up!"

"Like you're one to talk, loser." Yuri said through a grin, chuckling when Metalicana glared at him.

"Shut your hole, Dreyar. You ain't my Big Brother anymore." The older Redfox hissed, feeling instantly annoyed when some very unpleasant memories surfaced in his mind. Memories that were made even more vivid when he saw Yuri's shit-eating grin.

"Wait. Wait, wait, wait. Hold up just a fuckin' second here!" Natsu yelled out in protest, eyes wide as saucers at the information he just received, "You tellin' me _Yuri_ motherfucking _Dreyar_ was your big bro when you were in college?"

"It's… complicated."

"Complicated my ass." Yuri laughed, "The kid couldn't do a keg stand for shit. We had to nail his pants to a wall and shove the line down his throat for him to stop whining like a pussy. And what's with that _Yuri_ motherfucking _Dreyar_ thing you keep saying?"

"Why am I only now hearing about this shit?!" Natsu roared loud enough that the people outside could hear, completely ignoring Yuri's last question and earning a few amused chuckles from the people present, "And why the hell is a league superstar even at _my_ birthday?"

"Oh, thank your girlfriend for that one." Yuri said, smiling.

"Lucy?!"

He noticed how she fidgeted when he didn't even try to deny the girlfriend part, but at this point in time Natsu's brain was too fuzzy to even mind it.

"She texted me after you showed her that picture with you and him." Laxus said as he joined the small circle, "Said she thought you'd love it if he was here. Though I don't really see the appeal."

"Oi!" The older Dreyar growled, earning a roll of the eyes from his nephew.

"Lucy, you…" Natsu suddenly said a bit quieter as he walked up to her, being just a few inches away from the blonde, "Did you…? Did you organize all _this_?"

She took a short while to respond, wondering if he might have been upset with her since he wanted to celebrate his birthday on a different day, "Yeah…?" She admitted, her voice a bit hesitant, "No presents, though. I remember how you said you hated them and-"

Lucy was abruptly cut off when Natsu's hands touched her cheeks and pulled her closer. Her eyes widened when his lips touched her forehead and lingered in place for a few seconds, "You know, I was about to say I felt like I could kiss you, but then thought fuck it." He said in a hushed tone, giving her that trademark toothy grin she remembered caught her attention during their freshman year, "This blew my mind away, Luce. Thank you. Thank you so, so much."

She smiled as she hugged him, "Seems like I'm on a roll tonight." She said, giggling, " _4-3_. I'm gaining on you."

He pulled her closer, "I might as well declare you the winner right now."

"But wouldn't that be boring?"

"Touché."

"Get a room, you two!"

"Like _you_ took _my_ room?! C'mere, you fuckin' stripper!"

The whole bar roared with laughter when Natsu pounced on Gray and a small fight erupted between the two. It had been a common sight back in the day. A sight a lot of people missed seeing. Even Wakaba and Macao joined into the laughter and Precht cracked a smile. Yukino thought there was something wrong with him for a second as he never smiled and offered to check if he had a fever to which the laughter only intensified.

"Shots!"

"Alright, alright. Line up, boys. It's on the house!" Ikaruga declared with an amused smirk, laughing when Natsu looked over her shoulder to Precht for confirmation. When he raised his glass, the pinket grinned.

"Thanks, boss!"

"Just leave something behind for our regulars tomorrow."

And so the shot war began. The barmaids barely had enough hands on deck to serve everyone, but they were having loads of fun doing it, smiling and laughing while dancing to the music as they cooked up the plethora of drink orders that came in droves. Natsu hung back with the drinking just a bit, deciding that he actually wanted to be alive the next day.

He ended up spending a good portion of his time talking with the people who were at his birthday party. He was fighting with Gray, asking the barmaids how business was holding up, fighting with Gray a bit more, discussing basketball with Yuri, then fighting with Gray some more.

"Happy birthday, _Dragneel._ " Natsu almost cringed at the way his last name was mentioned, giving a somewhat disturbed nod to the buxom red haired female who was holding onto Jellal's arm.

"Uuuh… yeah… Thanks, Erza. Really." He replied, but honestly it looked like his soul was going to make a break for it through his ass.

Jellal just chuckled at the sight, "Don't drink too much though, alright? We have a match coming up."

" _¿Jellal?_ "

" _Buenas noches, Siri._ "

"Yo, can you change this bitch back to English? I swear she's annoying the crap outta me!"

" _El termino_ bitch _no se encuentra en la base de datos. Por favor, repita la palabra desea definir… Pajero_ "

"See what I mean?" Natsu groaned.

"No, no he can't." A wild Erik suddenly appeared, clasping his hand over Jellal's mouth as he smirked mischievously, "TIME FOR THE CEREMONY!"

"Oh no…"

Natsu then found himself seated on a chair – more like bound to one – as the entirety of the people present surrounded him. He swallowed an uneasy lump that he hadn't realized collected in his throat as the tallest and bulkiest people came forward. Metalicana, Gajeel, Laxus, Yuri, Erik, Gray and Elfman all gripped the chair from whichever side and began the countdown to twenty-two, lifting Natsu's chair up violently as they did so each time.

Natsu didn't know what was worse: the fact that he thought his head was going to impale the ceiling, or that he was actually getting motion sick.

"Ten! Eleven! Twelve!" Everyone in the crowd chanted with each lift, by which point Natsu's face was turning green and he thought he was going to unleash a champagne shower… the disgusting kind, "…Twenty! Twenty-one! TWENTY-TWO!"

"THANK MOTHER OF FUCKING MAVIS-" Natsu yelled out in relief but was promptly interrupted when Erik practically shoved a bottle of beer down the pinket's throat.

"Drink, bitch!"

"Vuvk gyo!"

His mouth was so full Siri couldn't even understand the swear word that left it.

Natsu thrashed and protested, yet soon realized it was to no avail. He slapped his roommate's hand away and gripped the bottle. As quickly as it was expected of him, he downed the drink like it was fucking Felix Felicis before tossing it into the trash-bin masterfully.

Which would've probably been awe-inducing if he hadn't fallen to the floor shortly thereafter, looking like death itself.

The party later went on, and the barmaids once again were busier than Trump was at vomiting bullshit out his ass. Natsu was buzzing like a bee from person to person, trying to entertain everyone. This had caught Erik's attention, and the redhead couldn't help the smile that came over him.

Normally Natsu wouldn't give a shit about the clientele. The one thing he cared about was to get his fix of alcohol and take some random girl home who didn't mind being treated like a slut. Now, however, he looked something like how he used to be, and Erik had to wonder if it was a certain blonde's fault.

A certain blonde that Natsu noticed was sitting alone at the bar.

"Hey." Dragneel said as he sat down on a barstool next to her, leaning against the bar with his back, supporting his weight with his elbows.

"Hi." She replied, smiling, "Enjoying your party?"

"More than you know, Luce." He admitted, "I know it sounds cheesy, but no one's ever thrown a party like this for me, y'know? I just… I feel so happy right now I don't even know what the fuck to do with myself. But there's just something missing."

Heartfilia quirked a brow, "What?"

" _You_." She looked confused, and Natsu couldn't help but chuckle, "You haven't really joined in on the bash. Kinda look lonely sitting here by yourself."

"I'm not really a party person." She said, "I'm fine with just watching, Natsu. Honestly. Don't worry about me. You should enjoy yourself."

"Why don't you actually give her something to watch?" Ikaruga suddenly interjected, leaning over the bar, resting her chin in her palm.

"Ruga, no, come on. Don't start that shit."

"What's she talking about?"

The barmaid chuckled in amusement, "Natsu didn't earn the title ' _Salamander_ ' on the court, just so you know." She explained, saying his nickname louder on purpose, making Natsu groan in exasperation.

"Did someone say _Salamander_?" Erik yelled, catching on to what Ikaruga was doing, earning a playful wink from the aforementioned barmaid.

"Yo! Natsu! It's been a while since you put on a show!"

"Yeah, pipsqueak. It's your birthday. Blow off some steam!" Metalicana added, grinning.

"I feel so out of the loop right now." Lucy whined, looking to Natsu for an explanation.

A sigh left his lips, "Look, if I do this, promise me you'll put your party hat on." It took a while, but when she nodded, Natsu rubbed the back of his head, "Alright. Fine then, I guess."

"Oi, Ul! Kill the lights!" Dragneel suddenly said aloud as he hopped over the bar and fished out several bottles of alcohol, smiling when he realized that the girls kept the stuff just where he'd left it.

"Coming right up!"

"The dick's gonna to set fire to the bar again."

"Shut the fuck up, Gajeel."

 _Did he just say_ set fire _to the bar?!_ Lucy inwardly panicked as the lights dimmed around her. Ikaruga noticed her worried expression and snickered.

"Don't worry, he's good at this… you just might want to take a few steps back."

She did as she was told, backing away from the bar until she bumped into someone. Lucy waited patiently for what was about to come next, her ears twitching with each clank of a glass she heard. Eventually, two bright lights made their presences known, and she recognized it to be the glares of a flame.

Yukino and Sorano looked like they were holding two small fires in the palms of both hands as they walked along the bar, much like a ceremony or initiation of some sort. When they got close enough, the light finally illuminated two broad arms stretched out in opposite directions. Their fires connected with something, and transferred into what they were holding.

The small explosion of fire illuminated the entire bar and revealed a grinning Natsu who now had two unmarked bottles in his hands, their caps lit ablaze with searing hot flames dancing in his grip. Then he began his work.

Before she knew what happened, the two bottles flew into the air. They spun and passed each other, and eventually Natsu caught them again. He crossed them in front of his face, and Lucy gawked when the pinket literally spewed out fire. The people in the bar roared a chant of praise, and Natsu started his fiery dance again, juggling the flaming items in his hold as if they were nothing more than tennis balls.

He threw one over his shoulder before balancing it with his elbow, tossed the other over his head before bumping it with his foot and later catching it with the back of his hand. Lucy's eyes were wide as saucers when he tossed both of them into the air again and, just as they were passing by each other, Natsu breathed out another large plume of fire that only expanded when it made contact with the bottles, forming a deadly yet beautiful dance of red and blue, orange and yellow.

"H-How…?" She breathed out, astonished and mesmerized by the sight at the same time.

"One-five-one." Lucy turned at the beckon of Ikaruga's voice, noticing the woman standing beside her. Her hands were folded just below her sizeable breasts, a smile on her face as her eyes reflected each color of Natsu's performance, "It's a Bacardi. Strong enough to be flammable. He asked to dim the lights so you couldn't see when he's pouring it into his mouth. Makes it look more real. There, look!"

Lucy had to squint her eyes, but when she did she saw that, whenever Natsu tossed the two bottles into the air, he took a quick shot of something and then quickly proceeded to spew out a fresh torrent of flames.

"He'd pull this show every Friday during rush hour." Ikaruga explained, "Eclipse used to be a bar where we only hired females. Still is, to be honest. But Natsu was that one exception." Lucy nodded, "Back then he was in serious need of a job. He even swallowed his pride and came over here. The owner was considerate enough to let him try it out. Well, mostly because him being here actually had girls coming over, too, and not just perverted schmucks who keep staring at our asses. Mavis, the amount of girls that flocked to him back then was ridiculous."

"They still do." Lucy said, sighing yet smiling.

"Thought so. Some things just never change." The barmaid laughed, "He was allowed to stay here under one condition – he had to figure out how to make himself useful besides just being a bartender. That's when he came up with _this_." She motioned towards Natsu's on-going show, "When he perfected it and started to use it on a regular basis was when our clients started calling him the Salamander. Don't tell him I said so, I wouldn't hear the end of it from old man Precht, but the biz skyrocketed after that."

"Come on, Natsu! We're getting' thirsty over here!" Someone in the crowd yelled.

"Comin' right up!" A gust of crimson heat followed his words, illuminating the many shot glasses that were lined up on the bar.

"So he's going with that." Ikaruga said, making Lucy quirk a brow.

" _That_?"

"You'll see."

Several seconds and flips of a bottle later, Lucy's eyes widened when a barrage of flames rained down on the poor shot glasses, making her think they'd melt under the heat. Suddenly, the lights came on to reveal a grinning Natsu who tipped a smaller shot-glass that was above a larger one. A domino effect ensued, and over twenty shot-glasses fell into pint-sized ones in a long line, leaving a trail of blue fire in its wake.

"Drink up!"

People quickly crowded the bar, and Lucy once again watched from the sidelines. That is, until someone gave her a light push from behind, "You promised, didn't you?" Ikaruga smiled down at her, and Lucy sighed in defeat before joining everyone.

"How was it?" A grinning Natsu suddenly asked from behind the bar, wiping the stray alcohol away from his lips.

"How corny would it sound if I said magical?"

"Pretty fucking corny." The two of them shared a laugh before picking up a glass each, "Bottoms up." Natsu said before they clinked their drinks against one another and reared their heads back, drinking the half-pint of beer mixed with Amaretto and 151.

"This tastes like Dr. Pepper." Lucy said, blinking several times as she stared at the now empty shot glass.

"My job's done then!" Natsu announced as he hopped back over the bar again, giving a wave of thanks to the barmaids as he did so, "Now, you have a promise to keep." He grabbed Lucy by the hand, surprising her, "Crank up the volume! Someone owes me a dance and I intend to collect!"

Lucy just laughed as she was helplessly drug to the makeshift dancefloor that the basketball players made by moving several tables and chairs out of the way. Ultear turned up the volume and took up the DJ stick, finding the best music for everyone to dance to.

For the rest of the evening Natsu and Lucy had completely stolen the dancefloor. He spun her, tipped her, and otherwise did acrobatics that made Lucy think her body wasn't supposed to bend that way. And yet no matter how dangerous the dance moves looked, she never felt even remotely scared. Natsu held a tight grip on her. A grip that made her feel safe. Secure. And thus she allowed herself to let go as both of them merged with the music, doing whatever the hell they wanted with the irregular beats of the ever changing music.

A slow song took everyone but them by surprise as Natsu had been expecting it. He held her hips, and she wrapped her hands around his neck. She rested her forehead against his chest, listening to his ever heavying breathing which made her lips twitch upwards. Natsu squeezed her tighter and pulled her closer to himself, his own smile seeming almost permanent as they danced to the rhythm.

The party transitioned late into the night before Ikaruga announced that they'd have to close up. People had already started to clear out by then, and in no time did Natsu and Lucy find themselves being the only ones left after a few goodbyes.

"I'll see you back at the house?" Erik questioned, his gaze darting between the pinket and Lucy as a sly smirk morphed his features.

"Yeah, yeah. Get the fuck outta here." Natsu said as he rolled his eyes, watching his roommate go out the door with his girlfriend.

Dragneel sat onto a barstool next to Lucy, both of them completely ignorant to the barmaids running around cleaning everything up, "Mavis, the 151 tastes like ass."

"Does it?" Lucy asked.

"Yeah, it's like-" Natsu was very suddenly and abruptly interrupted when he felt Lucy's lips on his. His eyes widened as his body froze for a brief moment.

"You're right, it does taste like ass."

"Oi." Natsu grumbled, trying to look anywhere but at her, all the while doing his best to push back the red that threatened to appear on his cheeks. Failing miserably, too.

The girl giggled, " _4-4._ We're on even ground now, Mr. Dragneel."

"I just can't win with you, can I?" He sighed, smiling as he turned to make eye-contact.

Natsu quirked a curious brow when he saw Heartfilia fidget just a little bit, shifting on her feet, "Lucy?"

She jumped at the mention of her name before shaking her head, "Say," She began, going to stand in front of him, squeezing herself in between his thighs to be closer, "I know you said you didn't like presents, but do you mind if I gave you one? Please?"

His face was a mixture of confusion and surprise, but it didn't take him long to respond, "Luce, come on, I told you…"

"I know, I know! But I saw it yesterday and I just couldn't help myself!" She whined, looking at him with puppy-dog eyes she knew he couldn't resist.

 _Evil, evil woman_ , he thought, "Fine, have at thee."

Lucy dug into her jacket's pocket and fished out a small object that she held out in front of him, "The engraving is in Spanish. Means Summer, just like your name." She said. Natsu examined the item curiously; it was a keychain of a small basketball that looked like it was supposed to go with his iPhone. It had a beautifully embroidered word that read _Verano_ on it, and the pinket couldn't help the chuckle that left his lips.

"Do you like it?"

He smiled, took her hand and kissed the miniature basketball, "I love it." He admitted, pulling her into a hug, "Thank you, Luce. For the present _and_ for the awesome birthday. I had loads of fun. More than I've had in a while."

"Yeah, I noticed." She said through her smile, "I thought your face was going to get stuck with that lopsided smile you had on."

"Hey, I would've blamed you if it had happened."

"And I wouldn't have felt bad for even a second."

The smile on Dragneel's face only grew when she said this, and the hold he had on her tightened almost as if on instinct. She was tired from all the festivities, and he realized that when he felt her breathing evening out, "Sleepy?"

"A little." She replied, yawning.

"You guys should go get some rest. You still have classes tomorrow- _today_ , right?" Ikaruga questioned, smirking at the sight of the would-be couple, "We'll clean this place up, don't worry."

"Thanks, Ruga."

"Don't mention it. Just visit us once in a while, alright? Precht misses you."

Natsu laughed, "Yeah, I'm sure the only thing that old bastard misses is bitching at me whenever I screw something up."

"I heard that." The old man's voice rung out from the kitchen, prompting the duo to make eye-contact before grinning.

"Alright. Guess we'll head home. Hey, Luce? You awake?" He shook her gently, and when the only sign that resembled a response was a quiet grumble, he couldn't help but snicker to himself, "You're such a child, blondie."

"She's cute when she sleeps." Ikaruga added, feeling amused.

Natsu snorted, "She's always cute."

"You like her more than a friend."

He realized that her words weren't a question but a statement, and it caught him off-guard much too easily for his liking. Natsu's gaze drifted down towards the lightly snoring female, his hand caressing her cheek gently. Almost as though he would somehow break this fragile bundle of sweetness if he wasn't careful.

Despite the choice he had to make, he had to be honest with himself. He owed that to a lot of people, not only himself. He owed it to her, too. Tonight just cemented that fact and made it a reality. And besides, no matter what he said, Ikaruga could see right through him anyway.

When he made sure Lucy was soundly asleep, he smiled at the barmaid.

"I have for a while now."


	19. Chapter 19

_**A/N:** Whoa... you guys left a **bunch** of reviews for the last one. Thank you! Also, don't take this the wrong way, but I'm honestly too lazy to reply to them all. Hey, cut me some slack. I'm just kinda tired after pulling an all-nighter A_ _nd I really don't want to overload the word-count with shit that doesn't even belong to the story like some authors do._

 _By the way, I've been told this story was recommended by somebody on Tumblr. I can't remember your name right now, but thank you! Seriously, if you haven't noticed by now that I'm a whore for publicity there's something wrong with you lmao._

* * *

 _ **Hangover**_

* * *

"Man, it's been a while."

"What?"

Jellal smiled as he leaned back against his chair, his fingers encircling his pint of beer. Relatively loud rock music blared through the massive sound system, people buzzing around, joking, laughing, and just generally talking loudly to hear each other over the different tunes while having a good time.

"Since we've been here, you know? Just to hang out."

"Is that so?" Laxus said with a shrug. He took a good man-sized swig out of his own beer, humming in content as the cold drink flowed down his throat.

"Come on, you're the one who dragged us out here. Don't go all silent-type on me." Jellal said, smiling when his long-time friend rolled his eyes.

"It's your own damn fault, blueberry. That Erza woman's got you so whipped you can't even shop by yourself anymore, let alone go out." Laxus commented, his tone somewhat accusatory which made Jellal chuckle.

It was Wednesday, several days after the surprise birthday party Lucy had thrown for Natsu, and the duo found themselves at Eclipse again.

"You say that like it's a bad thing." He replied. The two of them used to hang out at Eclipse every other day back when Jellal was still in college. Unlike some, namely Natsu and co., they only came in to have a conversation over a couple of beers. That had gone on a steady decline when Jellal and Erza started going out, and practically stopped altogether when Jellal graduated and became busy with either coaching the team or all the other jobs he had on his shoulders.

"It's not." Laxus admitted, taking another large gulp of his poison of choice.

"Then why the long face?"

"Growing up is annoying, Jelly. All that responsibility crap… I figured you of all people would understand that."

"Hearing that from you is kind of ironic, Mr. Seven-foot- _Dreyar_."

" _Right_." The blond growled, clearly annoyed by what his friend was insinuating.

"She wants to get a puppy."

"Like you don't have enough shit going on around you."

"Well, when you put it like that…"

Laxus snorted, amused, "What's next? A ring?"

"Yup." Jellal answered with a half-smile, noticing how Laxus very quickly made eye-contact with him after he broke the news, his previous annoyance and amusement all but disappearing altogether.

" _What?_ You're serious?" He asked.

"I've been thinking about it." Jellal nodded and fished out a small black box from his jacket's inner pocket, tossing it to the blond.

Catching the item with his large hands, Laxus opened it to reveal a golden engagement ring, a small pure-white diamond at its core. He gave Jellal a somewhat worried look, "This is more than just thinking about it. You're absolutely sure about this?"

"Oh, Erza and I were walking around central a couple of days ago and she saw it. The look on her face… I couldn't help myself." He smiled, "And yeah. I'm sure. We've been together for four years now, Laxus, and I realized I love that woman long before today. That and I'm not really getting any younger, y'know?"

A sigh left the Dreyar's lips as he closed the box and handed it back to the bluenet, "Being in love and committing for life are two different things."

Jellal hummed, "I used to think the same way." He admitted, "But now… I don't know anymore. The lines between them are pretty blurry by this point and this next step just feels… natural?"

Laxus took a quick second to examine him. The guy was smiling as he looked over that ring he bought once again. He was literally oozing happiness, no doubt imagining that symbolic thing on Erza's finger, and Laxus couldn't help but shake his head in amusement, _love-struck idiot._

"When?" He questioned, realizing that Jellal wasn't going to change his mind now. He had known the guy for far too long to mistake his demeanor for anything other than resolve.

"After this season's over… if we win."

Laxus' eyes narrowed, "Look, I get that you love your job and this team… but why put so much weight on it?" He asked, "And please don't tell me you love us as much as you love her. I'm not sleeping with you. That's just creepy."

"No, no." Jellal replied with a chuckle, waving him off, "It's… how do I put this… I feel as though I need to accomplish something other than just getting a degree in management before I can ask for her hand in marriage, you know? Especially because her mother is… well-" He coughed into his fist, amusing the Dreyar with how the words caught in his throat. "Whatever. I wanted to do it last year, but after we lost, I… it just didn't feel right."

"It wasn't your fault." Laxus quickly said, catching the tone in Jellal's voice that he had heard a few times too many in the past, "If Natsu hadn't-"

"You're wrong." He interjected with a sigh. He took a large swig of his beer before continuing, "It _was_ my fault. Natsu was injured, and I knew that. I knew I shouldn't let him play, but I did. I put too much weight on his shoulders when he already had more than he could handle all by himself. I failed him and every single one of you as your coach."

As much as Laxus wanted to argue, he knew he couldn't.

The rough clang of bottle against wood made both of them jump a bit, too preoccupied with their own thoughts to notice when Ikaruga approached them.

"You boys look like you need this more than we do." She said, smiling as she set three simple glasses and poured them half-full with High Commissioner – a scotch she knew the two of them liked.

"Ruga to the rescue!" Laxus said, smirking.

"Thanks." Jellal offered.

Ikaruga winked at them, clinked her glass against theirs, and reared her head back as she downed the entire thing in one motion, "Don't mention it." She said and made a beeline back for the bar, leaving the bottle with the dynamic duo.

"She's a real sweetheart, isn't she?" Jellal said as he downed his own drink, later staring at his friend with a smirk that Laxus very quickly recognized.

"Don't even go there." He warned, finishing his drink in one go as well.

"Go _where_?"

" _Natsu_ slept with her, blueberry. I don't want his sloppy seconds."

"Hey, be nice." Jellal said, snickering when the blond once again rolled his eyes.

The duo sat in silence for a good while after that, too lost in their own thoughts while they stared down their empty glasses. Eventually, however, Laxus looked like he had enough. He groaned aloud before proceeding to do a refill for them both.

"Listen here, you blue-haired bastard." He suddenly said, shoving the now-full glass of whiskey in the surprised Jellal's face, "You two are going to live a disgustingly happy life together, picket fence and all that other crap. You're going to be the soccer mom taking care of three snotty little brats while Erza is busy being the man in the house. You'll have a fucking rusted SUV the exhaust of which will sound like an old geezer's farts, drive your screaming kids to school way too early in the morning, and watch every single one of their ball games, even during your days off. You'll have barbecue every Saturday with the neighbors you pretend you like, you'll bitch about how stuffy married life is, and you'll be jealous as shit when you turn on the TV and see Natsu playing in the league. You know why? Because we're going to win, you're going to propose to her, and she's going to say yes."

Jellal's eyes were as wide as saucers as he just sat there, stunned. Laxus quickly downed his drink and began pouring another one when finally the azure haired man's mind processed what he'd said.

He looked at his own glass and smiled, "Yeah. I'll drink to that." He said and clinked his glass against Laxus' second before drinking it up in one go, "Though, I have to admit, hearing that kind of stuff from you? You might have been hanging around Natsu a bit too much lately"

"Shut your anti-whore mouth."

Jellal couldn't help but laugh.

"You going to Erik and Natsu's living room bash tomorrow?" Laxus asked, leaning back in his chair while playing with his glass between his fingers.

"If we win tomorrow, yeah. Erza really wants to go."

"What do you mean _if_ we win?" The blond snorted, "We always win the first game after Winter Break."

"Everyone should be well-rested. That's true."

"That's not the only reason."

Jellal became thoughtful when he realized what Laxus meant, "He _has_ been looking better. You're right."

"Think it'll last? Natsu's known to mess shit up." Laxus said, a rough sigh escaping him at the memory of certain events from last year.

"We can only hope." Jellal returned with a sigh of his own, taking a sip of his drink. Whatever reservations he had in regards to Natsu when the year started had been slowly diminishing recently. The pinket was starting to look like his older self – like the person he was when he first joined the team and fought to become a starter. He was driven, motivated, hard-working, stubborn, and above all a _very_ sore loser who never took a beating lying down.

A smile came over him.

"Say, if… _when_ we win this and I propose and everything else… will you be my best man?"

Laxus groaned, "Will I have to prepare a speech?"

"Obviously."

* * *

"Come on, Lu! Kagura and the others are already there! We're going to be late!"

"I'm coming, Levy. I'm coming!"

Lucy heaved her bag over her shoulder as she raced to keep up with the surprisingly fast bluenette. You would think being as small as her your steps would be tiny and in turn you'd be slower. This girl just blew that concept completely out of the water with the way she bolted towards the gym like she was Sonic the goddamn Hedgehog.

The two friends had been studying in the library after class. Despite it being the start of a new semester, they wanted to get a head start on the upcoming classes so they wouldn't be too overloaded with work when research papers, presentations, and all that other shit that college entailed rained down on them like a pre-tornado storm.

Now, however, they were sprinting to Clive Center where Kagura, Erza, and Juvia were waiting for them. Fairy Tail University was going to have their last match of the preliminary series and their second match against Blue Pegasus University. Lucy remembered how much of a blowout the first one had been, so she couldn't help but wonder how this match would turn out. She heard from Kagura that Pegasus hadn't taken their first loss well and were training more to get back at their players. A smirk played on her lips when she remembered the conversation she had with Natsu prior to the match.

He was, quote unquote, _fired up_.

"Over here!" Lucy perked up when she heard a familiar voice. She saw Kagura waving at them and the two friends smiled before making their way up the stands.

The players were already going through their warm-up routines, tossing baskets into the net, occasionally dunking, passing and dribbling. Pegasus seemed more focused than they were before. Their players had lost the cocky attitude they had in the last match and were completely absorbed into their play. Fairy Tail, on the other hand… Lucy couldn't exactly put it into words, but it worried her. They seemed quiet, calm, and didn't particularly stand out.

"Hey." Levy greeted when the two of them met up with the rest of their friends and sat down, "We're not too late, are we?"

"No. The game's just about to start." Erza informed, her eyes meeting with the team's coach who offered a small smile to the girls.

"This… is something off?" Lucy couldn't help but ask, her hazel eyes following everyone's movements carefully, "They don't seem into it."

A chuckle from Kagura caught her attention, "It's the complete opposite, actually." She smiled when Lucy gave her a confused glance, "Well, just watch."

A few baskets shared by both teams later the whistle signifying the start of the match was blown. Both teams lined up at the middle line and Lucy noted how, this time around, neither team had anything to say to the other. No trash talking, no mocking gestures, nothing. Just pointed and determined glares from the away team's side which, surprisingly, their players completely ignored. It was like they didn't even acknowledge Pegasus' presence on the court, which Lucy found strange.

Ren and Laxus made their way to the center of the court once the introductions were done and both readied themselves for the toss-in. As soon as the ref threw the ball, both were in the air. And yet, despite what happened last game, Laxus was instantly almost a foot above the other Center-player. He tipped the ball, however not to FTU's side of the court.

Eve was quick on the uptake and moved to intercept. He raised his hands to grab the incoming orange basketball, but was aptly shocked when a black blur raced by him and took the ball for his own. Gajeel smirked to himself as he dribbled the ball past the opposing player and dashed towards the three-line. Hibiki was quick to introduce himself, but FTU's PG had already expected that. Wordlessly and without even looking he tossed the ball to his right side where Gray had already been waiting. The Shooting Guard caught the ball, angled himself, took a step back behind the three-point arc, jumped, and fired before the defense even had any time to mark him.

Fairy Tail scored their first points of the game.

"Damn it." Eve cursed under his breath as he took the ball and went outside the court to get it back into play. His eyes focused on Ren who was sticking close by and he threw it.

"Eve, no!" Hibiki yelled, yet it was already too late.

Erik appeared in the middle of the two shocked players like a ghost and managed to get his hand in between the ball and Ren. He knocked it back towards Pegasus' basket, a grin on his face, "You're up!"

"Oorah!" Natsu roared as he jumped from all the way behind the free-throw line, caught the alley-op mid-air, and smashed the ball into the basket with one hand, leaving the entire goal shaking in his wake.

The Pegasus players glared at Natsu who landed on his feet gracefully. Lucy watched the pinket with some curiosity, her mind confused as to why they seemed so unmotivated and yet were able to go in guns blazing right out of the gate. Then, when he grinned at the opposing team, it hit her. They weren't unmotivated or not competitive. No, it was the complete opposite. They were focusing their eagerness on the game, being completely drawn into it without a single shred of their attention being directed elsewhere. Normally she was used to the FTU players putting on a show for their fans – now, however, they were focused on winning, and they were doing it in their own unique way.

Basket after basket, steal after steal, rebound after rebound; FTU was giving it their all and the fans were getting a well-oiled machine of a show despite their players not even trying to be entertaining. Kagura explained that the first match after Winter Break had always been one of those phenomenal games that you would rarely ever see again for the Fairy Tail University team. The players were fully rested and every single one of them had found a new form of motivation to guide them, and it was extremely visible in their play.

And yet it was obvious that Pegasus had done their fair share of training as well. Regardless of the fact that Natsu and the others were at peak condition and operating at their highest capacity, the away team wasn't falling too far behind, staying only within six or seven points below when the whistle for half-time was blown.

"Wow." Lucy said, flabbergast. She watched as Gajeel and Erik bumped fists and the other team members showed their own signs of triumph before going back to their locker room for the ten minute period of half-time break. Whatever she had been expecting, it wasn't this.

Fairy Tail University's team had always been known to be a rowdy bunch. They would play wildly and do whatever they needed to do on the court. It was acceptable, though. Each player possessed the skill that enabled them to practically go solo against an entire team, so nobody really faulted them for lack of teamwork. Now, though, they were putting their other arsenal on display. Passing, screening, and otherwise synchronized play that seemed strangely fitting. Erik and Gajeel alone had racked up a total number of twenty five dimes in no more than two quarters of play, which was astonishing to say the least.

Gray had also joined into the fray, often faking a three-shot to be able to transition into a clean pass inside to Laxus or an incoming Natsu. Heck, even the aforementioned pinket chose to pass instead of dunking on occasion. When he canceled his dunk mid-motion to pass outside to Gajeel who was lining up a three was when Lucy's jaw almost literally hit the floor.

Playing like this their team could easily give a team within the highest League a run for their money.

"What the heck did coach tell them? They're like completely different people out there!" Levy said, feeling just as shocked as Lucy looked.

"I don't think he said anything." Erza said, yet the smile she had wasn't missed on anyone, and Kagura had to bite down a giggle which Lucy found curious.

"Yeah, that idiot probably didn't." She said with some amusement and the redhead next to her simply sighed while shaking her head, yet the smile was still very much intact.

"…did we miss something?" Juvia asked.

"It's…"

" _Kagura_."

"Okay, okay." The dark-haired woman laughed when Erza glared at her, "It's nothing." She said, yet Lucy and the others had a very difficult time believing her, "Like I said, it always gets like this during this very last game."

"Jellal said it's been like this for five years straight now." Erza added.

Kagura nodded, "Erik said so as well. He couldn't give me a decent explanation-"

"That's _so_ surprising." Levy said.

Kagura ignored her, "-but it's like with this game they feel like it's their obligation to show their fans that however bad they played during the first games of the season wasn't their de facto play. The way he phrased it, it's _us washing away our sins_." She said, making quotation marks with her fingers.

"That's strangely like him." Lucy admitted.

"I know, right?"

"But it's probably not just that, is it?" Juvia said, and both she and Lucy lit up when Erza perked up as if she were about to say something.

"No, it isn't." She said, smiling "It's also their way of honoring the very first opponent they faced in the season, I suppose."

"But they're holding up pretty well. Gajeel has been scoring non-stop and they don't look like they'll be behind for long." Levy said, her eyes narrowing when Kagura smirked at her slyly.

"Someone's been eyeing our _tall, dark and handsome_ Point Guard." She said.

"N-no, it's just-"

"Natsu's scored more, though..." Lucy said absentmindedly.

A range of reactions followed this, yet before that happened everyone stared at Lucy as if she had just announced she was a part of ISIS all along with the bomb she just dropped. Levy gave her a light competitive glare, Juvia blushed at the implications, Erza smiled knowingly and Kagura… let's just say after Lucy asked _what did I say?_ probably everyone in the gym heard her laughing.

The girls continued keeping up several conversations at a time, most of which were often dwarfed by Lucy and Levy arguing about who was more useful to the team; Gajeel or Natsu. Eventually even Juvia chimed in to get her word out on _Gray-sama_ , and the two other non-college girls remained relatively quiet, feeling amused by the whole discussion.

"It's starting again." Erza said as both teams' players made their way to the court to begin the second half.

Lucy quirked a brow when she noticed that FTU once again had a different air about them. Their previous calm was replaced by an eagerness that too easily showed on their expressions. She couldn't help the smile that came to her at the thought that this was more like them.

"Now it's really go time." Kagura said and received several nods of confirmation.

Pegasus quickly got the ball into play and rushed into the offensive, intent on paying their opponents back for their fast attack during the beginning of the first quarter. Their passing was impeccable, and, in contrast to the team they were in their first match, or even the team they were in the first half of this one, Lucy could tell they were different.

" _Meeeeeeen!_ "

The way Pegasus' coach kept yelling that weird-ass line still made her cringe, though. Her and every other FTU fan.

Fairy Tail's defense was rock-solid, yet Pegasus' offence was nothing short of captivating either. Eve tried the direct approach at first, but Erik, the one marking him, had some kind of sixth sense that practically predicted his opponent's movements. He kept getting into the away player's path with every movement he took, even going so far as to try to poke the ball out of his grip.

When he realized that he wasn't going through, the blond clicked his tongue and passed it back to their Point Guard, Hibiki. Whenever times were tough they could always rely on that guy, and Lucy noted that whenever they did Pegasus often wound up scoring.

He had a great field of vision, rivaled perhaps only by his dribbling skills which he was now putting on display. Hibiki rushed at Gajeel, choosing to crossover around the dark haired PG before side-stepping into a jump shot. Gajeel instinctively leaped up to block the shot, yet his eyes widened when all Hibiki did was a pump-fake before transitioning into another drive. Erik was quick to intercept, yet was just as quickly dealt with when Pegasus' PG faked another drive and passed to Ren who had been waiting under the rim.

The dark haired Center instantly felt the imminent danger of FTU's titan of a Center looming over him, and he grit his teeth as he tried to push him with his shoulder. That wasn't going to work, he soon realized, and he perked up when another member of Pegasus called out his name. He passed over his shoulder, and the guy managed a layup when Ren boxed Laxus out.

"Let's switch gears." Gajeel instructed and Erik nodded as he got the ball back into play, heaving a gruff breath at how Hibiki winked at him while he was going back on defense.

"Gimme." Erik said, and Gajeel turned to him curiously. When the redhead nodded and grinned, Gajeel couldn't help the smirk that came over him.

Lucy's eyes widened as she watched Gajeel turn towards the side of the court and _Erik_ taking the role of Point Guard, calling out their next play. She looked to Kagura who was smiling at the sight, "Is this what you meant?"

"Just keep watching."

Erik was walking towards Hibiki while bouncing the ball against the court, being watched by him like a hawk. And yet, as surprising as it were, Hibiki smiled, "Feels like we're in high school again, _Cobra_."

"You mean when you _lost_?" Erik grinned before initiating a charge.

As she watched, Lucy's eyes widened at Erik's sheer speed and intensity. If Natsu overpowered his opponents on the court through sheer speed and force, Erik did so with technique and awareness. It looked as though the would-be PG had a complete three-sixty vision and knew exactly where every player on the court was as he masterfully dodged a surprise poke attempt by Eve. He used it to transition into a between the legs dribble and performed a change of pace to break Hibiki's stone-like guard on him.

When Ren introduced himself to mark Erik, the redhead grinned. He initiated a complete halt of movement – almost on par with what Natsu was capable of – and, using a behind the back dribble, turned a quick three-sixty and chucked the ball towards the hoop.

"It's not going in! Rebound!" Hibiki yelled, and Erik's grin only widened.

"It's not supposed to, buttmunch!"

A black blur raced towards the hoop, completely bypassing every other player on the court. Gajeel's hand rose as he jumped and caught the rebound just as the ball hit the backboard. With one swift motion the dark haired Captain dunked the ball into the hoop, remaining hanging on the rim for a few moments to give the Pegasus players an impish grin.

Pegasus quickly got the ball back into play and initiated a fast-break, running for FTU's side of the court. Hibiki held the ball and openly charged. He got distracted for a split second when he tried looking for someone to pass to, though, and his eyes widened when he couldn't feel the grip on the basketball anymore.

"Oi, jackass!" Gray yelled, tipping the ball towards Natsu.

"Shut your hole, you perverted exhibitionist." The pinket replied calmly, eyes noticing how both Eve and Ren stood close to the three point line, intent on stopping him before he even got to the hoop.

Natsu stood between the three point line and center-court. He smirked to himself, realizing that he was completely open, "Guess I might as well." The entire gym went silent as the pinket suddenly transitioned into a strange shooting motion and leaped upwards. Neither of his marks had enough time to get to him as his release appeared to be ridiculously swift.

And when the shot from way downtown reached its mark without even grazing the rim, Clive Center exploded with roars of both cheering and protest.

" _He_ can do _that_?!" Some of the Pegasus players shouted in disbelief, and Lucy couldn't help but chuckle uneasily when her friends asked her the exact same thing.

"He's been practicing during Winter Break. _A lot._ " She explained.

"Either he's some kind of genius or that was a fluke." Kagura said, flabbergast at the display. Judging by the surprise on Erik's face, it looked like the redhead didn't know about this either. A smile came over her; knowing Natsu, this _was_ a fluke… a fluke that he was going to master in due time.

With Erik and Gajeel changing roles and Natsu spooking them with his long-ranged shot, Pegasus' defense looked like it was on the verge of coming completely undone. Erik appeared to be really good at determining where people were on the court and what they were thinking. Kagura explained that it wasn't his vision that was doing it, but more his _hearing_. Yet how the guy managed to actually hear anything, much less actual thoughts, over the deafening roars of the stands was beyond Lucy's comprehension.

In Gajeel's case, it had always struck Lucy as odd why the guy was a Point Guard to begin with. He was tall, exceptionally fast and strong; she had found that those were perfect qualities for a Small Forward – the position he took from Erik now.

However it was quickly explained to her that both players had traits belonging to either role. It wasn't that they were playing in positions that didn't suit them. It was more like they were continuously swapping them on the go and complimenting each other. This was a very deceitful yet effective strategy, and it wasn't difficult to come to that conclusion when she saw how confused the away team was whenever someone they did not expect was coming up with a new play. This turned the option of 'try to predict what they're thinking' completely null and void and practically impossible to do.

Natsu's surprise three did in fact send ripples along the entire court. It wasn't major as the pinket didn't take many more follow-up shots, but it was enough to focus some of the defense on him whenever FTU was transitioning into offence, in turn giving other players – such as Gajeel, Erik or their other star shooter – wiggle room. And whenever they didn't mark him the home team's PF would once again aim a long-range jumper and sink it with borderline surgical precision.

Fairy Tail had set a death trap, and the unaware Pegasus had been unwittingly caught in its embrace.

"Hey, but isn't this bad?" Juvia suddenly voiced out, calling the attention of the other girls, "This is only the first leg of the competition. Wouldn't showing all their cards to the opposing teams be detrimental to them?"

Kagura hummed, bringing a finger to her chin thoughtfully, "I guess you could say that, but-"

"This could be a declaration of war." Lucy chimed in, "The way they're playing right now, how they have a practically unstoppable offence… I feel as though they're calling out the other teams to try and stop them."

"You're starting to understand how those knuckleheads are thinking, Lucy."

"…I'm not sure I should be proud of that."

Time flied as Fairy Tail University took charge of the game. They held the lead and had begun to run away with it. Whenever Natsu was marked, their remaining two Guards or Forward would play the ball in. Whenever Natsu wasn't marked, he'd shoot a three. Whenever Natsu missed, Laxus would tip it in. This offence was indeed centered around the pinket, but that was unavoidable; his presence on the court, especially when he opened up the possibility of shooting long-range jumpers as dangerous as the one he just displayed, was too threatening to not take notice, and the home team was milking the cow as much as they could while it lasted.

As minutes passed, so did the end of the fourth quarter approach. FTU were already in the triple digits, yet Pegasus' offence hadn't relented and racked up a sizeable number of points. That, however, did little to hinder Fairy Tail as they kept scoring basket after basket, all but assuring their victory in this last game. The fans were either depressed or ecstatic, but Lucy noticed that a form of respect for Fairy Tail's team had been established by both parties. Friend or foe, the way they played the game was impossible to not admire.

As the shot-clock evened out with the time left in the quarter, Natsu received the ball and was calmly walking towards the three point line. He had noticed a glint in Hibiki's eyes that he recognized was his last attempt at challenging the pinket, and he accepted it without a second thought.

Natsu leaned in low and bounced the ball against the court, a smirk spreading across his face as Hibiki's determined gaze bore into his very being. Lucy watched as Natsu said something, yet she was unable to pick it up. The curiosity of what it was that he said was instantly pushed away by utter awe at his next display.

With a play that was almost faster than the eye could see, Natsu pushed for a drive and transitioned into a crossover. When Hibiki picked up on his movements, a change of pace and a behind the back dribble followed. Natsu immediately faked and dove to the opposite side, and Lucy's eyes widened when Hibiki's feet left the ground and he found himself flat on the court, gasping for breath.

When the shot clock was just about to run out, Natsu shot a mid-range jumper which easily made the net immediately after the buzzer rung, scoring their last points of the game. He then went to help Hibiki up by offering him a hand, and the Pegasus' Captain accepted it, surprising Lucy. They exchanged several words, and Lucy noticed how Natsu grinned before bumping fists with him.

"107 to 84… a solid and safe victory." Erza said and Lucy nodded. She realized that, while the numbers of their last match made these ones look like a close call by comparison, to anyone who had seen the match first hand it appeared differently. If FTU had been the same team they were before, they might have even lost this one. Pegasus had undergone a dramatic change as a team and thus felt like a true contender this time around. The home team, however, looked like it had also matured. Matured enough to hold both winning and fun in the same regard, and not one over the other, no matter which one it was.

"Okay, we should head out now." Kagura said, "The boys are going to take a while to rest up. We might as well go to Erik and Natsu's place, clean that pigsty up before tonight." She looked to Lucy, "Natsu give you the keys?"

"Yeah." The blonde answered, smiling as she held up the item in question that Natsu had given her when he met her back in the library.

The five of them waved at the boys who grinned back. Erza quickly typed up a text for Jellal who instantly checked his phone, turned to them and held a 'thumbs up.' They collected their stuff and got into Erza's Toyota Yaris and made for the famed duo's apartment.

"They're showering right now. Jellal said they'll have a team meeting to discuss the game and later go to the store on their way to Natsu's." Erza said, checking her phone.

"Erza! Eyes on the road!" Levy scolded, earning a chuckle from the other girls, "What? Do you have any idea how many accidents are caused by texting and driving?"

"You're an absolute nerd, you know that?" Kagura said from the passenger's seat, amused.

"An adorable nerd." Lucy corrected, hugging the bluenette and giggling when she pouted.

"Gray-sama… in the shower…"

Ten minutes of laughing later, the five girls found themselves at their destination. Lucy had to suppress a cringe at the absolute mess they had left behind. Socks, underwear, food, books, controllers… _what_ isn't _icky and out of place?_ she thought, a depressed sigh leaving her.

"Looks like we've got our work cut out for us." Kagura said with some annoyance as she rolled up her sleeves. Lucy reckoned she was already used to this.

"I am going to give those dolts a piece of my mind." Erza added with both anger and disappointment, _very_ carefully disposing of some items that frankly deserved to be left in the trashcan.

"And I am _so_ not handling all of… _this_." Levy whined, pointing to all the clothing scattered everywhere.

Lucy looked to Juvia who was still very much in dream land, no doubt fantasizing about Fullbuster in the shower, trying to attract him with some weird-ass passionate gaze crap. She sighed tiredly; _why am I always the only one stuck with the most annoying jobs?_ "Okay, okay. Guess I'll clean this stuff up."

With the help of Kagura who aided her in sorting out whose clothes were whose, Lucy shoveled up a good heap of apparel before moving towards Natsu's room. She placed them on his chair and sighed to herself, wondering if she was supposed to fold all of this crap up before leaving it in his dresser.

A mewl suddenly caught her attention, and she noticed the head of a small blue feline darting out of the covers of Natsu's unmade bed. Two small black eyes focused on Lucy, remaining on high alert until the kitten recognized who it was and its gaze softened. It slowly stood up, stretched, and walked along the bed sheets towards the blonde.

"Long time no see, Happy. How've you been?" Lucy smiled, tickling behind the kitten's ears and giggling when the small kitten purred shook his head. She noted with some curiosity how the cat had grown a bit during the short time she hadn't seen him. She didn't know much about cats, but the speed at which Happy grew almost made her think that several months passed ever since she and Natsu found him.

She thought back on that time in the Clive Center when Natsu kissed her for the first time. It was… weird, now that she thought about it. The way they've been acting around one another was like they were already together, just without sex, was a new one for her. Hell, a proper relationship in and out of itself was unexplored ground for her. Lucy didn't even need Kagura to tell her that, which the dark haired female admittedly made a point to drill into the blonde's skull.

Lucy couldn't exactly put her finger on it. It was like Natsu did actually want something more than what they currently had, but a something whatever was stopping him. Whenever he came close to it, he would distance himself. A very small part of her thought he might have just thought of her as a _friend_ – knowing what people said about him, kissing wouldn't be that unusual for the term people purposefully misused in this context. But then again Lucy had a hunch that wasn't the case either.

Natsu could be a real sweetheart at times – a person Lucy was sure only the closest to him got to see. That made her realize that she wasn't just another one of Natsu Dragneel's _girls_. Hell, he gave her the necklace that belonged to his mother. That by itself told a story of its own.

Something was bothering him. She realized that. And Lucy had every intent to let him deal with it. Pushing this issue didn't feel right, and she wasn't about to force a relationship just because her patience was slowly beginning to run thin. She'd be lying if she said it wasn't. But she knew that Natsu had to sort whatever he had to deal with on his own terms otherwise none of this would work.

She just hoped it wouldn't take him too long, honestly.

Around half an hour later the girls were all but done with cleaning up the place. Hell, Lucy was actually surprised when everything was practically shining – a stark contrast to the condition they found the apartment in. She was frankly astonished the landlord didn't kick them out at this rate, too.

It didn't take long for the boys to come either. They came in carrying around five boxes of varying pizzas and enough six-packs of beer to get an elephant drunk. She didn't question it, though – as far as she knew Natsu and Erik were re-stocking their supply after the pinket coughed everything up in exchange to being able to keep Happy.

Erza gave the two roommates a piece of her mind – as she said she would – until Jellal was forced to get her off of them… only for Kagura to swap in as Erza's tag-team partner and Boston Crab the hell out of her boyfriend. Natsu actually cast a troubled glance Lucy's way, worrying that she might end up punishing him in a similar way. When all he got was a chuckle and a flick against his forehead, he exhaled a breath of pure and utter relief.

"Now, since we won…" Natsu began.

"Again." Gray added, smirking as he bumped Natsu with his elbow.

"L-let's start the – OW! – festivities!" Erik finished, trying his best to keep himself from choking while Kagura was practically manhandling him, earning amused glances from both Laxus and Gajeel.

The apartment lit up with music when Natsu cranked up the stereo, and everybody dug into both their pizzas and drinks, huddling around their living room table. Lucy leaned against the connected kitchen's bar, resting her chin in the palm of her hand while she observed as everybody got into small groups and discussed various things ranging from school to work to the match. Often people would butt into other conversations, either to jab at someone with a joke or to just add something to the discussion.

Erza had soon gotten tipsy after a few drinks and began threatening Gray and Natsu when the infamous duo got into one of their usual fist-fights, this time over the fact that Natsu chose spicy pizzas over ones of the smoother variety. She bit back a laugh when the female actually pile-drove both of them into their couch, her intoxicated roar combined with their muffled cries making Lucy regret she wasn't recording this.

Somehow Lucy wasn't surprised Erza was a lightweight.

Laxus eventually sighed and nudged Jellal to get his girlfriend under control. The guy looked scared out of his mind, honestly, but soon managed to do the deed, laughing hysterically when Erza's personality did a complete one-eighty as soon as she looked into the coach's face.

Levy was busy inspecting Gajeel's new tattoo that spanned all throughout his left arm in the form of a sleeve. It was an intricate design of various artworks that in all honesty made Lucy's head spin. And yet Heartfilia had to agree with Levy that they looked nice. The bluenette kept questioning him about various parts of the tattoo, and Gajeel almost eagerly began explaining what each one meant to him. Lucy was surprised by this – at first glance you wouldn't think Gajeel was this thoughtful.

She was also rather pleasantly surprised when she noticed the way Gajeel was smiling while Levy was busy being enthralled by his tattoos.

Gray, while he wasn't being chewed out by Erza, was actually paying attention to Juvia. The girl had learned to tone down her borderline insane obsession of FTU's Shooting Guard – in front of him, at least – and he'd learned to not be creeped out whenever he was with her. Hell, he was actually laughing and grinning when she was retelling this one incident in class where some guy had tried to jokingly flirt with Mrs. Maddox. Lucy actually cringed at the implications of what happened to the guy.

"Oi, you're doing it again." Lucy suddenly jumped when Natsu snaked in next to her and bumped her with his hips.

"Doing what again?" She asked, glancing at him curiously.

"What did you call it? Observing?"

She hummed, knowing he was right. And yet she couldn't help but admire the scene. She was feeling happy that she was, once again, together with all of these people who accepted her with open arms. All because of this one pink haired basketball player who was notorious for being everything but what he was when he was with her. The thought actually made her chuckle.

"What's funny?" Natsu questioned, raising a brow when Lucy randomly started laughing.

"You are." She said, smirking at his confused expression.

"You make no sense."

"Say…" Lucy began, "I get that there's reason to celebrate you guys winning, but we've never really done it before, so… why now?"

A half-smile made its way to Natsu's lips as the pinket looked down at his beer bottle, "It's kind of… I don't know." He said, "When me and Erik moved in here, we didn't really know each other or have many friends. Sure, we had acquaintances and shit, but no one you could really call a friend, y'know? I don't even think that's strong enough to describe this. I guess it's more like a-"

"A family?" Lucy smiled.

"Yeah." The pinket admitted, "Erik had the guys from the basketball team, and when I joined all of us kind of bonded, I guess, and this _Living Room Bash_ became an annual thing. Just to… I dunno, appreciate what we have?"

"That's fair." Lucy said, her smile only growing when she realized Natsu was once again showing that side of himself which he reserved to a very select few. The side that made her fall for him in the first place.

"Oh, wait, that reminds me." Natsu grinned suddenly, pulling at Lucy's wrist.

"Wha-"

"Come on. Go sit down." He instructed, moving to his room immediately thereafter.

"You gonna do _that_ , pinky?" Erik asked, smirking when a muffled _yeah, and fuck you_ was the reply he got. Minutes later Natsu emerged from his room, holding his black Walden acoustic guitar while he was tuning it on the fly.

Lucy expected someone to say something as she sat down on the couch. _Anything_. But what surprised her was the fact that there was nothing but complete and utter silence. And, when she looked around, she noticed that everyone had this very particular smile painted on their faces that she couldn't exactly describe even if she tried.

Jellal moved away the stray pizza boxes from the living room table, making room for Natsu to sit down. As soon as he did, he ran his fingers along the strings of his guitar and smiled, "Alright, we're set."

And he began playing. Starting with simple notes that were slow yet hastened with each touch and began forming into pre-planned lines of notes which quickly constituted a song.

When Natsu inhaled and began singing, Lucy found herself pleasantly surprised when his voice didn't sound too bad. Hell, it was actually pretty nice, " _Guy on the radio sounds like a budget Stephen Hawking. Keeps trying to tell me that the Bible says the world is ending._ " He sung, smiling and bobbing his head to the rhythm, " _It goes down around May 20_ _th_ _, so I guess this song is pointless; you're never gonna hear it. But if the world ends, I hope I'm in my living room with best friends. So raise your glasses._ " When the verse ended, everyone who knew the lyrics pitched in with the chorus.

 _ **We don't have trouble sleeping,**_

 _ **No one, no one's gonna take that away from me.**_

 _ **We don't have trouble sleeping,**_

 _ **We know, we know who we wanna be.**_

The next verse began, " _Fuck some movie that I swore Keanu Reeves was in. These doomsday prophecies are all gonna amount to nothing._ " Erza and Kagura began clapping to the rhythm, and Lucy found that she was somehow enticed to join them, " _And so, for now, I'm calling bullshit. If the Mayans don't believe it, why should I be any different? But if the world ends, I hope I'm in my living room with good friends. So raise your glasses._ " When the chorus started again, _everyone_ was singing.

 _ **We don't have trouble sleeping,**_

 _ **No one, no one's gonna take that away from me.**_

 _ **We don't have trouble sleeping,**_

 _ **We know, we know who we wanna be.**_

The guitar then quieted down a bit, " _This week is gonna swallow me, but when it spits me out, I'm landing on my feet. I'm going to bed tonight in my New Found Glory hoodie._ "

And when Natsu began singing the next lines, Erik chimed in as back-up vocals, " _So fuck the world –_ _ **fuck the world**_ _– and what it wants me to be._ "

" _So fuck the world –_ _ **fuck the world**_ _– and what it wants me to be._ "

" _So fuck the world._ _ **So**_ _ **fuck the world.**_ "

 _ **We don't have trouble sleeping,**_

 _ **So fuck the world,**_

 _ **No one, no one's gonna take that away from me.**_

 _ **So fuck the world,**_

 _ **We don't have trouble sleeping,**_

 _ **So fuck the world,**_

 _ **We know, we know who we wanna be.**_

The singing continued far after the song ended, and everyone only cheered when Natsu finally stopped playing and they did indeed raise their glasses. A form of glee had taken over the blonde Heartfilia and she almost too eagerly raised hers, clinking it against everyone else's.

It didn't take long for Natsu to start up a new song, and people either sung along or became distant in their own conversations with somebody else. Lucy, on the other hand, just watched Natsu with a small smile on her face, a part of her mind going to cheese and hoping that this night wouldn't end.

Because nights like these were of the kind you sincerely couldn't recreate even if you had God on your side. They were also the nights you would remember for the rest of your life.

And Lucy didn't have a single doubt in her mind that she would.


	20. Chapter 20

_**A/N:** Mizu gets it._

* * *

 _ **Hangover**_

* * *

"Dang it, where did I put that thing…?" Lucy groaned out to herself as she rummaged through the stacks upon stacks of papers she had laid out on her own desk, "This is ridiculous."

The first week of the semester was at an end, and Lucy already found herself neck-deep in work. Besides all the things she had to do for her part-time job – which admittedly were a lot of goddamn things - college wasted no time baring its fangs at her.

Normally you'd expect week one to be boring as hell – course intros, grading rubrics, attendance policy enforcement, professors' pathetic attempts at being intimidating, unnecessarily copious amounts of syllabi, and maybe even general introductions if the prof felt like treating them as though they were children – especially in old man Yajima's class. That was all well and good. A routine Lucy was already used to since her freshman year. Then again life liked to remind her how much of a spiteful bitch she could be.

Lucy had already planned to move ahead of schedule and get some work done way before it was due. It was her way of managing her time so she didn't overburden herself. That and honestly she wanted to have some free time to be able to spend with her new group of friends. She never did hang out with people much during her years in FTU, but now that she'd gotten to know Natsu and co. she wasn't exactly against the idea.

Yet it wasn't until today that she realized that it would be easier said than done. Two out of her six classes already had papers that were due just around the corner, and another one scheduled a presentation for _next Monday_. She shuddered at the thought and remembered Erik's whining when he found out.

" _Murder through homework should totally be a thing. I'd call for protective custody against these dictators!"_

Lucy couldn't have agreed more.

During the first week she found that she had quite a few classes with the aforementioned redhead. Four out of six, to be exact. Considering the fact that their majors were the complete polar opposites of each other, it was strange that they had even a single class together. Erik was quick to explain that he had gone through most of his mandatory courses and was now looking to simply get the required credits and raise his GPA up as much as possible. Why he thought taking Expository Writing – arguably one of the most difficult and annoying classes for an English major - would help him with his grade was beyond her.

Not that she was complaining, of course. Having Erik in the class ended up being quite a fun experience. He'd crack jokes every chance he could and that honestly served to lighten the atmosphere most of the time… the profs weren't often appreciative of this, but even they couldn't deny that it was sometimes a necessary distraction. Spending hours on end studying without any sort of relief wasn't something that improved working quality and it was just generally stupid.

Lucy also found Erik's presence helpful in regards to a certain pink haired basketball player. Erik didn't mind talking about him when asked. Hell, he often talked about the guy even without being prompted. Mostly to embarrass and make fun of him, though. The fact that Erik locked a freaking _Bengal Tiger_ in Natsu's room during one of their prank sessions still boggled her mind.

She had to admit, though, that the fact that she didn't have a single class with the pinket saddened her quite a bit. Between her own workload and how much he practiced, the only time they could see each other on a regular basis would've been in class. Since that was a no-go they barely even talked outside texting on the phone or the occasional call before going to bed. The only two times Lucy actually got to hang out with him were during the surprise birthday party she threw for him and the Living Room Bash.

As she was still shifting through her stuff, her phone suddenly buzzed, followed by a short but loud beeping noise. Curious, she picked the device up and quirked a brow when she saw a text from Erik.

 _Erik Cubellios: Yo. This is Natsu. We set for tonight?_

 _Lucy Heartfilia: ...why are you on Erik's phone?_

 _Erik(Natsu): Because I turned mine off. Siri's being extra bitchy today._

 _L: On a scale from one to FML, how bitchy?_

 _E(N): Like retarded radical feminist levels of FML-bitchy._

 _L: Did you just hate on feminism to a girl?_

 _E(N): I have no beef with feminism. I actually respect the idea. But when you ask me_ _'how does it feel to be the same gender as Donald fucking Trump' I will be tempted to drag your stupid ass to a goddamn mental facility._

 _L: …did she actually say that?_

 _E(N): No, some dumbass on YouTube did. Siri was just being a cunt._

 _L: El termino_ cunt _no se encuentra en la base de datos. Por favor, repita la palabra desea definir?_

 _E(N): Damn it, Luce! How do you even remember that?!_

The fact that she could imagine him groaning and rolling his eyes made the situation that much better. She giggled several times, watching her phone with a small smile before it buzzed again.

 _E(N): So, tonight?_

 _L: What's the game plan?_

 _E(N): Since when are we playing a game?_

 _L: Since I've been pulled into your team. Duh._

The next message took a bit to come, and Lucy knew for a fact that it took a while for the thought to sink into the pinket's brain. She had no doubt he smiled when it did, though.

 _E(N): Fair enough. Well… we're probably going to do the pre-party at our place at about… ten PM? Something like that. It'll save us money. We'll get our buzz on and head over to the club at midnight. Sound good?_

Lucy frowned as her eyes darted between her phone and the mountains of paperwork on her desk. A very tired and irritated sigh escaped her as she punched in her next message.

 _L: I can't make the pre-party._

 _E(N): What? Why?_

 _L: I'm sorry! I've just got so much work to do it's driving me insane!_

The next message again took a while to come through, and Heartfilia was trying to imagine what Natsu was thinking or what expression he had on his face. She honestly couldn't tell. Or rather what she thought was nothing short of him being disappointed. This being Natsu, though, she couldn't tell. Eventually she just smacked herself for overthinking and jumped when her phone vibrated.

 _E(N): That sucks. Can't be helped though, I guess. What about the club?_

 _L: I'll be there even if I have to pull an all-nighter afterwards._

 _E(N): Atta girl. Don't pull that all-nighter though._

 _L: You want me there or not?_

 _E(N): There's nothing more I'd want. But if it means you'd be killing your health I'd rather you miss out on going to this stupid party. Not worth it._

 _L: Then I'll be there. Health and I can take a raincheck._

A sigh escaped Natsu as he read over Lucy's message on the screen of Erik's phone. He was leaning over his desk, resting his head on his forearms. His brows furrowed at the last bit; he seriously didn't want her to get ill or something along those lines, especially because college didn't give you much time to take care of yourself as it stood already.

 _E(N): Alright, well… guess I'll see you there?_

 _L: Definitely._

Rubbing the back of his head, Natsu let out a low grumble before he shot up from his seat and made for the kitchen, taking the phone with him.

"What'd she say?" Erik questioned when he saw Natsu come out of his room, looking annoyed.

"She'll meet us at the club." Natsu replied as he tossed the device to Erik.

The redhead gave Natsu a worried and somewhat accusatory glance to which the pinket rolled his eyes as he walked past him and towards the fridge, "Natsu, don't-"

"Yeah, yeah. Shut up." He drawled out disinterestedly, searching their fridge for something even remotely edible.

"I'm serious. What you and Lucy have is a good thing. Don't fuck it up."

As an answer, Natsu grabbed the stereo's remote which was luckily right on the bar. He went through a couple of button sequences and when an overly familiar tune started playing he smirked and began bobbing his head to the rhythm.

The pinket looked to Erik and noticed that his expression hadn't changed. He rolled his eyes, grabbed a beer bottle, popped the cap, took a large swig, and grinned at the redhead.

"Don't you fucking-"

" _Living easy. Living free. Season ticket on a one-way ride._ "

"Not this again." Erik rubbed his forehead when Natsu began singing with the song.

" _Asking nothing. Leave me be. Taking everything in my stride._ "

"What does this make it? The fifth time?"

" _Don't need reason. Don't need rhyme. Ain't nothing I would rather do._ "

"Goddamn it, Natsu!"

" _Going down. Party time. My friends are gonna be there too!_ "

Natsu began dancing around the redhead purely to annoy him, playing the air guitar, drums, and anything else he could think of.

"No, but seriously, don't do anything stupid, alright?" Erik pleaded one more time when the pinket was just about to go to his room to get ready for the party. He stopped, turned, grinned, and pumped his fist in the air with the music.

" _I'm on the highway to hell! On the highway to hell!_ "

Erik groaned, Natsu laughed.

" _Highway to hell! I'm on the highway to hell!_ "

In between his laughter and singing Dragneel quickly finished his beer with several man-sized swigs and tossed the empty bottle into the trashcan. He went into his room, slipped out of his clothes, and made for the shower. It took him about five minutes to go through the motions before he came out with a towel tied around his waist, his hair still damp from the searing hot water.

"Oi, is there a theme today?!" He questioned aloud, all the while bobbing his head to AC/DC playing obnoxiously loud in the background. Then again the words AC/DC and obnoxious couldn't really be put into a single sentence, so he was sure the neighbors wouldn't mind.

"Dress to impress!" Erik called out, already used to Natsu's preparation antics.

When Back in Black began playing, Natsu felt like the music made his choice for him. _Cheesy, but if it works – why the fuck not?_

Natsu let the towel fall and pulled on some underwear. He took out a pair of black denim pants and slipped them on. He fished out a dark-gray dress shirt, but stole a quick glance at his arms when he remembered the tattoo Gajeel got. His dark eyes scanned the contours of his muscles and a sigh escaped him, _I want one, too_ , he thought, his mind already coming up with what kind of tattoo he'd want to get.

 _Okay, enough narcissism. Maybe later._ He chuckled to himself before slipping on the shirt. He fished out white socks and a pair of black boots and made his way to the living room.

Natsu dumped the boots near the exit, quickly put on his socks, and went back to the kitchen. He grinned when he saw Erik already reaching into their alcohol cabinet, and pushed him aside, ignoring any and all protests that his roommate voiced. When Erik saw the bottle Natsu pulled out, he _really_ wanted to smack the pinket as dread washed over him.

"Jim Beam, Natsu? Really? _Already_?"

"You bet your ass already. Bring out the fucking shot glasses instead of whining, you bitch. It's party time!" When Erik just stood there, Natsu bumped his shoulder, feeling annoyed, "Mavis fucking Vermillion, can you lighten up? It's been a while since we had _that_ kind of party. Humor me here!"

The redhead's eyes narrowed, watching the expectant pinket with skepticism. He had to admit that it'd been a while since he'd seen Natsu in full-on party mode. But he was also worried about what had caused it. He had a feeling he knew where this would end up going, but as Natsu was now there was no stopping him. The least he could do was make sure he didn't crash too hard.

Or at least be there to help him up when he did.

He threw his hands up in the air, "Fine." He mumbled, and when he noticed Natsu tilting his head in confusion, he groaned, "Fuck it, I said! Fine!" He took out two point-oh-five glasses and slid them across the bar. Natsu grinned and filled both of them to the brim with the bronze liquid.

They clinked glasses and both reared their heads back, downing it in one go.

Natsu had quickly proceeded with a refill, and, as much as Erik wanted to, he didn't argue or complain. The way Dragneel was now made Erik remember all the parties that made him famous in and out of FTU, both as the infamous Salamander and the notorious man-whore that he had come to be referred to.

AC/DC, Motörhead, Led Zeppelin, Ozzy, Black Sabbath, and a range of other classics blared through their speakers as the two kept downing shot after shot. Regardless of how many red flags this situation set off in Erik's mind, he still couldn't help but find this nostalgic. Back when neither of them really had any commitments and could go all out and have a blast. _Those were the days_ , he thought, smiling as he played with his shot glass.

And yet despite that he couldn't say the situation they were in now was worse. Not even remotely. He was with Kagura for a good while now, and Natsu was building a relationship with Lucy. His mind drifted to that one time the two of them promised each other they wouldn't get hitched in college. _Natsu probably doesn't even remember_ , he mused inwardly, somewhat amused.

They were maturing – getting into long-term relationships was a given, despite what kind of people either of them had been. It was funny, really. Both Kagura and Lucy had somehow managed to change them. To pull out a side of them neither really thought they had. A caring, borderline nurturing side. To this day Erik was surprised that he even had a side like that. Even more so Natsu, whose last relationship was the polar opposite of what it was with Lucy.

He wouldn't change the situation they were in now for the life of him, though. Regardless of what had happened in the past, they were happy. Sure, there was some bullshit in between, but it was nothing they couldn't stomach.

And yet, sometimes, on very rare occasions, it was okay to let go and remember the old days. So tonight-

"-tonight we're gonna rave like it's twenty-fucking-fourteen!" Erik announced with conviction, raising his shot glass which was now filled for the sixth time.

"Amen to that!" Natsu grinned, clinked his glass against his roommate's, and let the poison flow freely down his throat.

" _What do you think's gonna be your reward-_ " Erik began, bobbing his head when Motörhead came on.

" _Sixty year watch or a kick in the balls?_ " Natsu finished, laughing while pounding on oxygen with his fist before he took another shot, downing his eighth one.

" _Time is a wasting, you don't get it back!_ "

" _Move out and prove out and always attack!_ "

Quickly thereafter their doorbell rang, and Gajeel and Gray joined them. _Luckily without the girls_ , Natsu thought, grinning as he pulled Gray to their kitchen bar and made him drink a series of Smirnoff shots without anything to wash it down with. Any other day he would be annoyed by how much the guy whined, but now he just wanted to have a good time, so he ignored it.

"Don't you fuckers leave me out." The other newly arrival warned and turned to Natsu, glaring at him with his usual evil-eye, yet it also held a tinge of something Natsu hadn't seen in their Captain's eyes for a while now.

"Trouble in paradise?" Erik asked as if catching on to Natsu's drift. But when Gajeel huffed and flipped them the bird, neither of them laughed or cracked any jokes. They simply did as they were supposed to – they poured the drinks, and they kept them flowing.

Gajeel and Gray were the only ones drinking for a while. Whenever they had a guys' night out, they had one golden rule: always drink the same amount. If someone who joined was twelve shots behind, they had to get those twelve shots down so everybody else could continue drinking. This was a good way for those who started drinking first to get a breather, but the person who was last to the party often ended up practically shitfaced first. This was both a way to keep the tables evened out… and a means to keep people from being late in the future.

It didn't take Gajeel too long to catch up as he was in a drinking mood which he didn't mind explaining. He and Levy had a falling out, he explained. She actually gathered up enough courage to ask the guy out, which was surprising to hear for the rest of the people present. Granted, they were expecting it to happen. Everyone and their mothers were expecting it to happen. Hell, _he_ was expecting it to happen. But when it did, he was shocked enough that he surprised even himself.

His reaction didn't go too well. Gajeel gave off the aura that he was reluctant and said some things he didn't exactly think through. The way the confrontation ended was with him being slapped across the face and told off – something everyone agreed was worth drinking to forget, even if for a while.

Gray, on the other hand, was a bit slower, but eventually caught up as well. His 'girl trouble' was the weirdest out of the bunch, and that was saying something when you consider that Natsu and Gajeel were a part of the 'squad.' He had somehow managed to catch the eye of the single most peculiar girl on campus, and, even though he was reluctant at first, he was now finding that Juvia was gradually growing on him. That was the reason he quickened the pace of his drinking, and despite the fact that everyone was laughing their asses off, they didn't fault him for it. _Too much_.

" _Gray-sama_ is stripping for Juvia!"

"Oh, please, _Gray-sama_ , not there!"

"Juvia is sensitive there, _Gray-sama_!"

"I fucking hate all of you."

When everyone caught up, they took two more shots each to round up a solid ten before heading out. Natsu slipped on his boots and black leather jacket, and Erik settled for some converse and a parka. They made their way downstairs, and eventually decided they might as well hit up Eclipse as it was on the way to Tenrou and they still had loads of time to kill before midnight.

Eclipse's doors opened, and the four of them were instantly greeted by a grinning Ikaruga who had already been waiting for them.

"Missed me?"

" _Fuck yes._ "

While the boys were out partying their livers away, Lucy was still practically bathing in her academics. She had figured out a topic for one of her papers, found a good number of sources she was sure would be enough, and had just finished scribbling down a detailed plan as to how she was going to go about pulling this off. If there was one class she hated with a passion, it was goddamn Comms Theory. Not so much because of the course itself, but because the professor was a grade A cunt who'd fail anyone for just about anything that was even remotely close to thinking outside the box.

She had also managed to sort out most of the other tasks she needed to get done for future projects and assignments and stored the information in a neatly detailed folder she kept in her second top-most drawer. The folder for last semester's classes was already hidden away in the very lowest _I hope I'll never need to see this ever again_ drawer where she kept her old college stuff just in case she needed to recap on something or one of her friends was in a class she had taken and needed help.

The blonde released a pent up sigh, stretched her limbs out, and groaned tiredly, "Man, I'm beat." She said to no one in particular, her eyes locking on the ceiling, "What time is it anyway, I wonder…"

"A bit past eleven."

Lucy jumped at the voice that sounded behind her and fell out of her seat. She groaned overdramatically, rubbing her face as she did so before her ears perked up at the sound of a giggle. Confused hazel eyes looked up and met a set of amused viridescent ones.

"Brandy!" Lucy exclaimed happily as she shot to her feet and bolted for the slightly older green haired female and tackled her into a bear-hug, surprising her a bit, "You're back! I thought you'd take another week at least!"

Brandish released a breath, trying – and failing – to hide a smile as she stroked the blonde's head like a mother would, "Yeah, one of the new idiot technicians screwed up our gear so we had to pack it in early… and I told you not to call me that!"

Lucy giggled, taking a step back, "Sorry, force of habit."

"Yeah, well, I guess it's fine if we're not out in public. I wouldn't hear the end of it if my colleagues found out my roommate – someone who's younger than me to boot – calls me by a darn alcohol."

"How was work, anyway?" Lucy suddenly asked as the two of them sat down on her bed.

The older woman let another sigh escape her lips before she hid her face in palms, "It was a freaking tragedy." She admitted and began to explain how she had to deal with new employees who had egos twenty times the size of their brains.

Lucy's roommate, Brandish Myu, age twenty-five, was a photographer for the Royal Gazette, a newspaper that was mainly centered around Crocus, the capital, and the royal family, and was also considered the main and most popular paper in the entirety of Fiore. Brandish was a spectacular photographer, and frankly Lucy was shocked when the woman first showed her work that was on the front page of the newspaper the first day Lucy moved in.

She, however, very rarely stayed in the apartment for longer than a week at a time as she often had to travel the country to get the latest scoops and the best photos. Lucy had repeatedly asked Brandish if moving to Crocus wouldn't be a better idea than staying in Magnolia, but whenever she did the other female simply replied by saying that Magnolia was her home where she grew up and she wasn't about to leave anytime soon.

"Besides, there's plenty of stuff to cover here, too!" She would go on to say, and admittedly Lucy was happy about it because that meant she didn't have to look for a different apartment. This was the perfect place – Brandish wasn't around much, and even if she was she was too tired to actually do anything aside eating junk food and watching TV. How she kept up her stunning physique was beyond the blonde's understanding.

Brandish didn't charge much for rent, either. Somewhere down the line she explained that she had been in a similar situation to Lucy's – a practically empty wallet, more jobs than anyone could endure, a college degree waiting to be slaved off for, and the absence of a proper roof over her head. She made well enough money to keep up three apartments like this one, and she very eagerly decided to help Lucy out... _in exchange for a signed copy of my first book_ , Lucy remembered, and couldn't help the blush that came over her.

If Brandish was anything, it was nurturing and caring. You couldn't see it because of the certain habits she had, but she was already acting like a mother would with her child. That often annoyed Lucy as she kept feeling like a child next to her, but admittedly she didn't have much ground to complain.

"Hey, speaking of work." Brandish began as she fished out her extremely expensive-looking photo camera out of her bag, "I was in town during New Year's and I managed to catch this. Here, see for yourself."

When Lucy took the offered device and saw the picture Brandish was showing her, her eyes widened and the blush she had on her face increased ten-fold. The green-haired woman smirked slyly.

"I see you found a boyfriend while I was away." She said, " _Finally_. I was beginning to think you were asexual or something."

Lucy just kept staring at the picture, noticing how brilliantly detailed it was. Regardless of the quality that the camera granted itself, the positioning, the lighting, the focus… everything was on a level she'd only seen extremely famous photographers take, "You mind if I keep a copy of this for myself?"

Brandish shrugged, "Sure, go ahead. I was planning to send it in for an article, but-"

"Please don't."

She chuckled and lifted her arms up defensively, "I know. I know. Daddy issues."

"Thanks." Heartfilia smiled and pulled out her laptop. After a crash course from her roommate on how to properly connect the camera to the other device without damaging any of the memory stored within, she was finally able to pull the picture out on her desktop. She double-clicked on it and it appeared on her screen in a larger frame.

It was a beautiful image of her and Natsu kissing on Magnolia's central bridge as the fireworks display raged above them and Kardia River.

While Brandish was out unpacking her things, Lucy just kept staring at the digital image as if it were something mesmerizing. A thought suddenly occurred to her and she opened up Facebook. She saw that Natsu had been offline for eight hours and hadn't turned his phone on once, but Erik was still very much online, even now. She debated on sending it to the redhead so he could show Natsu, but figured that it was a moment that the two of them shared, and she wanted to keep it that way.

 _He'll see it when he eventually turns on his phone_ , she thought, smiling as she punched in a message saying _Hey, lookie what I found!_ before she attached the picture and hit enter.

"Shouldn't you be getting ready?" Brandish's voice coming from the other room startled her a bit.

"Uuuh… huh? What for?"

"The gig at Tenrou! I heard your uni's throwing a party or something. That guy will be there, right?"

 _How in the world does she…?_ "Y-yeah… Yeah! Dang it, the time!" The blonde exclaimed with some panic, completely oblivious to the snicker that came from the other room.

Rummaging through her stuff, Lucy sighed when she realized she hadn't put anything aside that'd fit for going out to the club, and most of her other clothes were in the washer. _Damn it_ , she cursed mentally before fishing out a pair of light-gray jeans, a dark-brown blouse that matched the color of her eyes, and a pair of Timberland boots that went perfectly with the color scheme.

"Okay, this should do."

"Winter clothing issues?"

"Like you wouldn't believe." She sighed tiredly, quickly got dressed and charged down the corridor to the bathroom where she applied all sorts of make-up and went through her female routine. It was nothing too much – nothing that made her look like a slut. But it was enough to notice that she did, in fact, take care of how she looked. She tied her hair up into a ponytail, used some perfume, shoved on her boots and was ready to go.

"It's crazy snowing out there tonight. You can borrow my coat if you want." Brandish said from the living room. She was already in her 'pajamas' which consisted of a tank and extremely short shorts, eating chips out of a bowl while lazily skimming through the TV channels.

"Thanks, Brandy."

"Stop calling me that." She hissed, and Lucy couldn't help but giggle.

Lucy turned to Brandish's dresser, pulled out the aforementioned black winter coat and quickly slipped inside it, humming at the fact that it was still warm, "Alright, I'm heading out."

"Later. Careful out there."

"Gotcha." She smiled one more time and went out the door. It took her no time at all to go down stairs, and as soon as she was outside she was bombarded by a flurry of snow. She quickly shoved on her coat's hood and bolted towards the street where she could call a taxi.

"Excuse me?" She was stopped suddenly.

"Huh?" Lucy turned, hazel eyes meeting the sight of a face that seemed familiar yet not at the same time.

"Are you Lucy Heartfilia?" The dark haired person asked, smiling at her warmly. Yet that smile also managed to inexplicably unnerve her. She nodded, and the person's smile grew, "I'm here to talk to you about my brother. Natsu?"

Lucy's eyes widened when the information registered, "You… You're Zeref Dragneel."

Unsure if it was a question or a statement, Zeref just nodded, "Guilty as charged."

As time went by, so did the alcohol that Natsu had indulged in. The four of them had taken their sweet time in Eclipse, finishing a good few bottles before they bid Ikaruga and the others farewell and made their way to Tenrou, already succumbing to the fabled drunk walk that had them stumble into the snow a couple of times. Yet all that really did was force them to laugh in an obnoxiously loud manner and make fun of each other whenever someone got a face full of snow.

They were met by Elfman at the entrance of the club who gave them a quick one over, quirking a brow at the state they were in, "Had _a little_ already, gentlemen?"

"Did you expect anything else?" Erik gave him a lopsided grin as he slung his arm around the slightly taller Gajeel's neck, laughing hysterically at the way the dark haired individual slurred out a quick _go fuck yourself_.

The large white haired bouncer just sighed and shook his head, already used to the group's partying habits, "Head right in. Just… _pretend_ you're at least remotely sober. I don't want to get shit from the boss."

"We always do." Gray said, nodding his thanks.

As soon as they entered, Kagura caught sight of Erik and, in between giving him shit for being drunk, dragged him to the dance floor. Gajeel spotted Levy and made a beeline for an extremely awkward conversation made easier for him/more annoying to her due to his alcohol intake. And Gray, when he saw Juvia being pulled into a conversation by some unknown assholes, puffed out his chest and went to _introduce_ himself. Suffice it to say with a drunken Natsu giving his meanest _fuck off or get fucked_ glare over Gray's shoulder the entourage of horny males ran more than Touka on the last episode of Tokyo Ghoul:re.

After that was over and done with, the pinket quickly looked around, his eyes scanning the inside of the club for the sight of blonde hair. His gaze stopped at several females, but never lingered for long. There was no way he would mistake Lucy for _anyone_ , and a sigh escaped him when he realized she still wasn't there.

He made his way to the bar, "Double Jameson's. On the rocks."

The lanky barkeep gave a short nod, fished out a glass, filled it with ice and counted two shot-fulls of whiskey before sliding the drink along the bar and into the pinket's hand, "Cash or credit?"

"Open up a tab." Natsu said, taking a quick sip and shivering at the taste. Lots of people didn't understand how someone could actually enjoy the taste of alcohol, but Natsu's throat was so used to the burn he didn't even feel it anymore. Only the flavor was left, and he had forgotten how much he loved it.

The bartender gave him a skeptical look, "Uuuh… you sure? You look pretty lit already. I don't want you getting shitfaced and walking out without paying up."

Natsu rolled his eyes, downing the rest of the double to keep himself from telling the guy off, and tapped a finger against his glass. "Just fucking do it." The basketball player growled, ignoring the barkeep's miserable sigh.

What seemed like hours passed as Natsu swallowed drink after drink. Some girls had walked up to talk to him, and, as disinterested as he was, he didn't shy away from a conversation, yet never let it drag on for too long. They always started to give him this face that screamed _I want to do bad things to you in a dark alley_ , and Natsu was frankly getting sick of it. If it weren't for the shots they occasionally bought him he would've probably already told them to fuck off. But hey, they were keeping him drunk, so he felt as though it was a common courtesy to at least talk to them.

What's worse was that, no matter how cold a shoulder he showed them, they still took a good while before giving up. It was as though they _liked_ being treated like shit, and the lack of self-respect they gave off disgusted him enough to make him want to vomit. And that was ignoring the fact that they wanted to get boned by a guy they met at the club who was doing nothing more to earn their attention than abusing the bar trying to get a few dozen drinks down all by his lonesome self.

The more time he spent there, the more potently he began feeling the approach to his limit. The loud music made his ears ring and was beginning to cause a migraine. The stench of alcohol, sweat and other bodily fluids made his head spin. He fought down another shot of tequila, and bit down the gag reflex that threatened to make him hurl today's intake of alcohol out right on the bar.

 _Why am I even getting drunk?_ he asked himself. At first when Lucy told him she'd be late he definitely felt disappointed. He'd never been without someone during a Cool Fairies gig, and this was just unnerving. He thought he'd let loose, drink with the guys. It was fun while they were at their place and later Eclipse, he had to admit. But at some point he lost that train of thought and began drinking just to get drunk, getting lost in the intoxicated haze his mind had eventually entered.

 _Fuck, this is bad_ , he coughed after taking another shot, feeling his stomach churn as it had already begun protesting. His head wasn't helping either, making him feel as though he was on a boat in the Pacific in the middle of a fucking storm, all the while trying to fight off a retarded case of motion sickness. His face was flushed from all the alcohol, his eyes hazy and throat dry. The acid reflex was already hitting him and making him feel like he'd swallowed gasoline, by which point he really wished he had something to eat.

Natsu had begun seeing things, he realized. That or Gray was actually making out with Juvia in the dark corner below the stairs to the other dance hall. The sight actually made him feel worse, and so he ordered another double Jameson's. Somewhere from the corner of his eye he saw Gajeel arguing with Levy, although admittedly it was more like the guy was simply angrily telling her things that she seemed to be agreeing with… if the fact that she seemed guilty as all hell wasn't obvious enough. _Huh_. And Erik had taken over the dance floor with Kagura, showing everyone the moves that had been honed through a fairly long amount of time spent together.

A smile came over him at each sight. A smile that quickly faded, however, when he felt a sting in his chest that was beginning to make him feel depressed. He was missing _her_. _Oh… fuck me…_ , he thought, resting his forehead against his open palm. He shook his head to try and get himself out of his daze, memories of _her_ staying with him through every drunken party flashing through is mind's eye.

When he raised his head, his eyes widened to the size of dinner plates when in his intoxicated state he hallucinated the woman he used to love more than anything else. Her large crimson eyes watched him lovingly, a pale hand supporting her head with her palm. Her long, braided dark red hair fell over her back in an all to enticing a fashion, and the seductiveness of her smile made him feel uncomfortable down south.

Natsu once again brought his palms to his face, _what the hell is wrong with you?! Leave me the fuck alone!_ He screamed inwardly, growling lowly under his breath.

"You okay?" A voice woke him from his stupor, and Natsu slowly, almost painfully, looked up to notice a soft and worried azure gaze locked on his person. Her snow-white hair cascaded down her shoulders in curls, right at the start of her rather revealing lacy black dress that showed a fair amount of cleavage. It was long, yet was parted at her side to show her finely-shaped left leg up to the top of her thigh.

If the bulge in his pants was making him only slightly uncomfortable, now Natsu was practically in pain.

The sting in his chest had only gotten worse, and Natsu mouthed a very quick _fuck it_ before he downed what was left of his drink in one large swig. He needed to get his mind somewhere else before he relapsed, and this girl just so happened to be one of the hottest babes he'd seen in FTU. He tossed a small wad of bills towards the barkeep, grabbed Mirajane by her wrist, and dragged her with him into the group of people flailing about on the dance floor.

"Dance." He said without turning back to see if he'd gotten an answer. The fact that she wasn't saying anything or pulling her hand back to get free told him she wasn't about to complain.

When they hit the floor, their bodies instantly began moving to the beat. Natsu stared lustfully at Mirajane as she danced with an elegance that strangely caught him by surprise, the way her hips moved making him swallow the saliva he didn't know was building up in his throat. She smirked when she saw his expression and how he was ogling her, and she slyly made her way closer to him.

Natsu instinctively snaked a hand around her waist and pulled her even closer. She helped herself into his grip and giggled before wrapping her arms around his neck, her eyes ever locked on his.

The pinket's other hand slowly went down her side and to her thigh. His fingers ran along her delicate skin as they slowly danced to the rhythm, being completely hidden out of sight sight in the rowdy crowd of university students they used as camouflage. When Mirajane's hand gripped his hair, he knew he wouldn't be able to hold back anymore, and he went in for the kill. His lips crashed against her neck, and he felt his blood rush when a moan escaped her lips as soon as his teeth grazed her pale skin.

Natsu was very barely able to control himself by that point. His hands roamed the entirety of her body; her shoulders, her arms, her chest, stomach, back, ass, legs. He was _hungry_ , and so was Mirajane, who made that painfully obvious when her ass grinded against his crotch after he spun and turned her over.

"Someone's excited." The white haired beauty breathed out in a whisper, giggling when Natsu bit her ear. She moaned when he touched her breast, and gasped for air when his other hand sneaked its way under her dress and to her panties.

"I'm not the only one." He replied as her back arched at his touch, a satisfied smirk morphing his expression when she heaved a breath in satisfaction, her body shivering. She pushed her behind harder against him as his fingers worked their magic, and he let his tongue travel to the back of her neck, furthering the sensations of ecstasy he let her indulge in.

When Natsu groaned, unable to keep himself under control, Mirajane suddenly turned around and wrapped her arms around his neck once again, her hands pulling at his pink locks while her lips crashed against his. Her sizeable breasts pushed against his own chest as her tongue begged for entrance, and he gladly obliged, allowing a battle of supremacy to ensue. A battle he quickly found himself winning as he ever so slightly bent her backwards, feeling her grip on him strengthening.

If he had even begun to think that he fucked up, that quickly vanished in the lustful dance he and Mirajane were sharing. The alcohol swimming in his system combined with how horny he felt washed away everything but the need to drag this woman to the nearest bathroom stall and bag her. He wanted to listen to her scream his name as he pounded her, and by the way she kept kissing him he knew she wasn't even remotely against the idea. Thus, when the song changed, he began pushing through the crowd and towards the restrooms, yet he never broke their lip lock while in the back of his head he wondered if he even brought a condom.

Erik cursed under his breath, annoyed with both Natsu and himself. He had lost the pinket in the crowd when Kagura pulled him into a dance and couldn't find him. A bad feeling stung his gut. A feeling that only intensified when he finally saw his roommate when he broke out of the crowd. With _Mirajane_.

"Oh, fucking- _no_." Erik growled. He turned to Kagura who stared at the display wide-eyed. She nodded to the redhead, and he dashed through the crowd, shoving people aside and cursing for them to move.

When he made it to the exit, his eyes almost bulged out of their sockets in horror. Natsu was making out with Mirajane while trying to drag her to the restrooms… and Lucy just seemed to have the worst possible timing in fuck knew what as her entrance made things about fifty thousand times worse.

His first thought was to somehow attempt to salvage the situation. That, however, quickly left his mind when he saw how she stood in the doorway, her hand covering her mouth as he witnessed the beginnings of the tears that welled up in the corners of her eyes. He brought a hand to his face and cursed aloud; the damage had been done.

Mid-way through the make-out session, Natsu felt a pair of eyes on him. He froze as he broke the kiss and turned. A sense of dread so potent he felt like he could punch it square in its face welled up within him when he saw Lucy watching him with horror, and he felt his limbs grow limp for a split second. The alcohol, the sexual frustration… _everything_ was instantaneously washed away when he saw her crying. Crying because of _him_.

"Lucy, I- this-" He began, leaving Mirajane as he bolted towards the blonde. He tried grabbing her wrist in an attempt to explain himself, but that was cut short when she slapped his hand away.

"Get away from me, you fucking pig!" She screamed, making him wince both at her cracking voice and her words. She instantly went into a dash towards the exit, and he struggled to follow her.

"Natsu! Stop, Goddamnit!"

"Fuck off!" Natsu roared as he shrugged away from Erik's grip and made to follow her. He pushed through the rows of people trying to enter the club, going so far as punching a few people with all his drunken might for standing in his way as he moved like a one-man stampede.

Dragneel kicked the doors open violently, his frantic eyes searching for her. He saw her as she jumped into the shotgun seat of a taxi, and he swore he had never ran so fast before in his life.

"Luce, please! Wait!" The pinket pleaded, his palms pounding against the windshield desperately as soon as he was close enough to the vehicle.

"Drive! Get me out of here!" Lucy yelled at the taxi driver, shocking him. His eyes drifted to Natsu and he gave him an extremely disappointed expression before he did as he was told and pulled out of the driveway.

"Lucy!" Natsu screamed and made to chase the car, stumbling his way through the ice and snow in his way as he ran into the street. He ran, and ran, and ran for what seemed like hours despite it being only minutes, and regardless of his best efforts the taxi was already what seemed like lightyears away from his view. And yet he still ran until he finally slipped and fell face-first onto the dirty-snow covered street.

Heavy breaths followed after his crash onto the pavement, yet he kept lying on the street, his mind trying to wrap around the situation. He rolled over onto his back, completely ignorant of the cars that kept whizzing about and honking their horns around him. He just stared at the dark sky as the severity of the situation hit him like a bullet train heading straight for the ninth circle of hell.

Natsu couldn't even begin to describe what he felt like. A piece of shit was one thing, a shameless and pathetic douchebag was another, yet both fit the bill, and he knew he could find other terms that would have been quite accurate. His stomach churned so bad he felt like he was about to vomit, his lungs burned from running at top speed without feeling his limits due to alcohol, his head spun from both lack of breath and intoxication, and he generally felt like he was about to pass the hell out and never wake up. He didn't even want to mention the dread and the literal hole he now had within him made him feel hollow inside.

His mind finally turning on, he quickly fished out his phone and booted it up. He had to call her. To try and explain this even though he had absolutely nothing to say for himself. He couldn't just leave it like this. Lucy was too precious to him to fuck things up and just leave it like that. As soon as the iPhone started up and data began flowing, Messenger rung. He saw that the message was from Lucy, and he instantly pulled it up.

 _Hey, lookie what I found!_

When he saw the picture Lucy sent, his eyes widened as he brought a hand to cover his mouth. Every single horrible sensation he felt multiplied by over several infinities and Natsu turned to his side, hurling all the poison out of his system because of sheer emotional strain.

He couldn't even stand as he pocketed his phone. He just dragged himself along the street to the curb and carefully sat on it. Natsu didn't even care that he looked like he was homeless. Every single thought he had was with Lucy and how bad he fucked up. How unsalvageable the situation seemed. And how bad he hated himself for being a hopeless son of a bitch who most likely pushed away the best thing that ever happened to him. Cruelly.

The pinket felt his phone buzz, and carefully pulled it out. Hollow eyes looked at the screen, a prompt signaling that Erik Cubellios was calling catching his barely available attention. He pursed his dry lips into a thin line and hung up. When his roommate called again, he hung up once more. He did so for over five times until a different person called him. Kagura Mikazuchi. Again, he hung up. And again, and again, and again.

Eventually Natsu just blocked every single one of his friends on his phonebook to keep them from calling. Whatever they had to say, he didn't want to hear it. However much they were worrying about him, he didn't care. He just wanted to fucking disappear off the face of the planet.

But he knew that, as much as he hated to admit it, he couldn't do that.

Natsu fell to his back and sprawled out on the wet sidewalk. When his eyes saw a brightly flickering neon sign, he found the next best thing.

A liquor store.


	21. Chapter 21

_**A/N:** Well whoop-dee-fuckin'-doo it's been a while, which I apologize for. Especially for leaving you guys stuck on such a fucked up cliffhanger. Senior year in college plus a part-time job is a bitch that I would never wish upon anyone. The next one won't take as long, I promise. What I won't promise, though, is that it'll be soon, either, lmao._

 _And holy shit you left a crapload of reviews for the last one. I should torture you people with chapters like that far more often, huh?_

 _Oh, by the way. I'm trying something different for this one. It won't be a constant and the format of future chapters will go back to what it used to be, so don't get your panties in a twist right off the bat, hmkay? I just wanted to try my hand at this. That and I felt like the description of Natsu's situation would seem more colorful this way. Do feel free to tell me whether you liked this shit or not, though._

* * *

 _ **Hangover**_

* * *

Fuck.

Such a diverse goddamn word used for millions of things within a bazillion different contexts by all kinds of schmucks. You've probably seen quite a bit of shit on the internet about how it could be used. Screw the internet, you might as well have just opened up an Oxford dictionary and found an entire chapter on that one piece of language alone. Or maybe you just walked by a ghetto and met enough fucks to make a sailor blush. Fuck you. Fuck off. Get fucked. Fuck it. Fuck yeah. Fuck no. Go fuck yourself… You name it. But there was one particular usage of this seemingly universal word that came to mind whenever I thought about the shit I'd gotten myself into this time.

I. Was. So. Totally. Fucked.

Or was it 'I fucked up?'

I was so jaded I couldn't even tell anymore. I guessed it's both.

 _Everything_ was just so horribly, _almost_ irreparably fucked.

The air felt heavy. Food tasted like crap. Water like piss. My head was still spinning from last Friday, and it looked like my throat had now adapted a constant state of cottonmouth. My whole body hurt. A part of my jaw might have been broken. My left pinky and ring fingers were _definitely_ broken. But you know what was worse than all of that shit combined and multiplied by how much of a piece of shit your asshole of a bachelor's thesis advisor was? That sinking, gut-wrenching feeling which made me question whether I wanted to vomit or pass out. Or both, in no particular order.

Hey again, rock-bottom. It's been a while. Did you miss me? Cause I sure as hell wished you got curbstomped by the fucking Hulk. Sincerely and with nothing but pure unadulterated hate, Natsu 'the fuck-up' Dragneel.

I released a low and weak breath as I lifted my arms. The basketball in my grasp was heavier than what I was used to as I tossed it towards the hoop with the flick of a wrist from behind the free-throw line. It shot up, curved, and hit the side of the rim before bouncing off.

Ten free throw attempts and I could only convert three. This was pathetic.

My head spun as I ran for the ball. With every step I took I felt like I was about to trip on absolutely nothing and kiss the hard tiles of the court. Painfully. Breathing gradually became more and more difficult, and it was pissing the crap out of me.

A three day hangover. And here I thought shit couldn't get any worse.

As soon as the ball was in my possession I drove towards the basket. If a ref was overseeing this he'd have probably charged me with travelling about five times already. I was slow and very fucking clumsy, but I was still adamant about reaching that shitty net. Eventually I was close to it, so I jumped. When my hands couldn't even reach the rim, though, I didn't know whether to be surprised or stab myself in the gut with my shoe.

Even though I decided for an easy uncontested layup, the ball still wouldn't go. What the fuck was wrong with me?

When my feet touched the cold wood of Clive Center's court, I quickly and very helplessly fell to my knees and tried to catch my breath as memories of the weekend replayed themselves in my head. I couldn't remember much after Lucy left Tenrou. I had made my way to the liquor store, bought the first bottle of hard booze I could find and as soon as the glass touched my lips I blacked out. Next thing I knew I woke up in my own bed feeling as though I got sandwiched between Shaq and Howard and later kneed in the chin by a charging Westbrook. And don't even get me started on how it felt like hurricane Katrina was fucking up my insides. My face pulsated with pain and my fingers were broken. The nauseating stench my mouth gave off made me feel like I'd swallowed a chemical weapon. I felt like utter shit, and that's not counting the hangover. Or the guilt.

It was Saturday evening when I woke up. Erik told me that they'd been searching for me all night long. When I asked him about what the fuck happened to me, he said he'd found me sleeping in our balcony after he got back, pretty much wasted out of my gourd. He said I relapsed on nicotine, and judging from the odor my right index and middle fingers gave off I didn't have any grounds to accuse him of lying.

Our apartment was smashed up. Bedsheets ripped up, broken bottles and glasses lying in too many forgotten corners. My bathroom mirror was in pieces and my knuckles were scarred. Our stereo and TV looked as thought they were tossed across the room and straight into a wall, and a myriad of other destroyed shit that I had no idea how we were going to replace. And yet Erik didn't give me crap for any of it. Not even for trying to bolt towards Lucy's in my drunken stupor, which I couldn't even remember. Granted, he did have to knock me out to get me to stop, which ended up dislocating my jaw. I didn't hold it against him, though. Put in his position I would've probably done the same and then some.

When I finally got out of my room my eyes went agape when I saw how much of a shit show our living room was. I started feeling nauseous, almost as if I already knew that I was the perpetrator to all of this. Even though I couldn't remember anything, some part of me probably realized that I had gone off the deep-end and took the express straight into crazy-ville.

My roommate was trying to clear out the small glass shards with a broom and a dustpan. He raised his hand when he realized I was up, "Careful. You'll cut your feet." He said, but didn't look at me. I could hear the exhaustion in his voice, but I didn't try to say anything or argue. My expression said more than I ever could, and I was thankful Erik wasn't trying to make eye-contact.

A few moments later he finally put the broom aside and waved for me to come over. As I sat down near the kitchen table he passed a glass of water and some aspirin my way. I shoveled the pills into my mouth and downed the entire glass in one fell swoop, later coughing as my sensitive throat pulsated painfully in protest.

Erik sat down opposite from me and just rubbed his temples, "How are you feeling?" He asked. I didn't answer and hung my head helplessly. I didn't have anything to tell him. A sigh left his mouth, "This is so fucked." He said under his breath, and I couldn't help but agree. The way Lucy looked when she saw me with Mira… fuck, I would do anything to erase that image from memory.

"Tell me about it." I mumbled and hid my face in my palms. They smelled of booze, cigarettes and hash. A crossfade wasn't even surprising anymore. I heard a sudden tap and moved my hand to get a better look. Erik had thrown an opened pack of cigarettes in front of me – Marlboro reds, the ones I used to smoke.

"Want one?" He asked with a taste of disgusted irony. I'd have to be deaf not to hear the disapproval and disappointment in his voice after he tossed me what I assumed were my last night's cigs. I stayed quiet. He stared at me, "You… what do you remember?"

"Nothing." I said frankly, "After Lucy left I tried chasing after her. When I lost her I went to the 24/7 liquor joint 'round the corner from Tenrou. My memory's pretty foggy from then on."

Erik then told me about how he and the others spent the night. After I left he tried calming Mirajane down; I felt like an utter son of a bitch for what I did to her, too. Everything was pretty straightforward from there: search everywhere, call everyone. The usual routine whenever somebody who was overly intoxicated decided to go on a late night adventure. The problem was that my head was somewhere in space while my liver drowned in alcohol. I had blocked everyone from my contacts and wandered off only Gods knew where.

I could remember faint flashes of a house party, but I sincerely didn't want to pry deeper into that part of the night. I felt plenty shit already.

Our conversation wasn't much after the recollection. We stayed silent. I drank water, Erik stared into space. Both of us were trying to think of what to do next, but neither of us could really figure out how the fuck I was supposed to get out of this hole I dug for myself.

Suddenly, something occurred to me.

"Where's my phone?" I asked after noticing that my pockets were empty. That stupid piece of electronics seemed so insignificant in contrast to everything else that happened, but I was worried about something that I couldn't really put my finger on.

Erik didn't answer. Finding it suspicious, I gave him a weak glare, "Erik." I demanded.

He sighed once again before taking the device out of his pocket and giving it to me, "Just… just don't do anything stupid, alright?"

"Pretty sure I've learned my-" My voice broke and the rest of the sentence died on my tongue when I opened up the text messages. My heartrate jumped by several digits and I could feel my stomach trying to claw its way out through my throat.

My eyes probably looked like dinner plates when I read through the seemingly endless stream of drunken slurs of messages I sent Lucy's way last night. Some were apologetic, others were excuses. They begged her to forgive me. To come back. To let _me_ come back.

And they were killing me.

My hands shook and I inadvertently lost hold of my phone, "Natsu? Oi, Natsu!" Erik yelled, but I couldn't hear him as the sound of my phone hitting the ground echoed in my ears, deafening every other sound I could think of. I was getting dizzy and it felt like pure ice was coursing through my veins. I felt this familiar and frightening urgency. And it was making it hard to breathe.

I jumped to my feet and frantically charged towards the cupboard where I knew we kept all of our booze – what was left of it, anyway. I hit the kitchen table with my hip, but my body barely registered the contact. None of it mattered – I needed to escape what I was about to be subjected to. I didn't want to face it… no, I was scared to feel it again.

The wooden cupboard door was practically ripped off of its hinges from the strength behind my desperate grip. I forced it open, and dug my hand deep into its insides. My fingers roamed everywhere I could find, but there was nothing. I turned to Erik, and he seemed shocked to see me like this. Shocked and distraught.

"Where is it?" I demanded.

"Natsu…" He breathed out as he tried to avert his gaze. He looked hurt. It pained him to see me like this again. But at that point I didn't really care.

"Where is it, damn you!" I screamed, "I-" My words once again died in my throat when I finally felt the lack of oxygen in my lungs. The dizziness got worse and I couldn't stand anymore. I leaned back with my backside hitting the stove. My legs were shaking and eventually gave out as I slid to the cold and hard floor of our kitchen.

My roommate was next to me in seconds, but he didn't say anything. As I began hyperventilating, his hands were instantly on my shoulders, trying to show me that he was there to support me. I felt as though the walls were shrinking around me. A sense of dread and panic washed over me as I fought to breathe. My eyesight was darkening, turning into tunnel vision as my entire body shook. My arms begun feeling tingly due to the lack of oxygen, and all I wanted to do was run. To escape. I felt threatened; it felt like there were a million judging eyes on me, and all of them were strangling me with their gazes, forcing a crippling sensation of terror to encompass me to my very core.

For the first time in almost two years, I was having a panic attack.

And it felt just as suffocating as the last one.

"Breathe." My roommate said, staying calm as he squeezed my shoulders. He passed me a paper bag, and I quickly took it and begun breathing into it, trying to pace myself, "You're alright, Natsu. You're safe. You can get through this." He kept saying, already used to all of this crap.

Yeah, way back when I used to have a lot of these and Erik was the one person who actually knew about them. He helped me deal with them without telling me to go to a hospital or seek some fucking therapist. He also never told anyone about this. Not even Kagura.

"Concentrate on your breathing. Stay in the present." He said the words almost like a mantra, and I managed to hear him through all the static and focus on his voice. I did as he asked and took long and deep breaths into the bag. I began slowly counting to ten in an attempt to think about something other than what caused the attack.

While my world was still very much shaking and the anxiety I felt was through the roof, I was eventually able to regain some form of control. I gasped and shook as I tried my damndest to inhale the deepest breath of air I could, and I exhaled. Long and slow. Then I repeated the motion over and over until the tingling sensation in my limbs was beginning to go away.

"Feel better?" He asked.

"Y-Yeah…" I replied shakily, wiping some sweat from my forehead, "Eventually."

Erik nodded and got to his feet. He rummaged through some stuff in our kitchen before filling up a glass with water. When he handed me half a pill of Xanax, I just stared at him, horrified, "This again?"

"For a couple of days. Until we know you're stable." He said, crouching down in front of me and handing me the glass of water, "Come on, it'll help you sleep." I didn't argue and swallowed the damn pill, "Just… don't think about it now. Get some rest. You need it. We'll figure this shit out tomorrow, you hear me?"

I gave him a hesitant nod and let him help me get to my feet. From there I bolted straight to my room as I knew I was about to get drowsy from the alprazolam. "Erik? Thanks…"

"Don't mention it." I offered him a weak smile before closing the door behind me and crashing into bed.

Despite what I said, the Xanax took a while to kick in. It looked like my body had developed more of a resistance to it than I initially thought. I was writhing in my bed for a long while, once again fighting to breathe as vivid memories from the night before haunted me and made me hate myself and everything around me. The hangover itself was already forgotten and it was like two of my fingers weren't even broken. Hell, it felt like they weren't even there anymore. It was just my crippling thoughts and I caught in a fight I felt I was losing.

About four hours later I finally managed to fall asleep. Granted, it took Happy and a whole lot of purring for the sandman to even think about coming my way.

When I woke up the next Sunday Erik was all over me in a heartbeat. Just before I left the confines of my room I heard him saying over the phone that we'd be skipping practice and staying in for the day. I assumed he was reporting to Jellal; no doubt our coach had already heard how bad I fucked up and ended up giving him a call of concern.

Erik gave me three thirds of a Xanax pill after I finished with my morning rituals, telling me that I had to take one now, one after lunch and one before hitting the sheets. I didn't argue or make a scene; Erik was pretty much like my nurse the last time I'd been fucked up this bad. He'd taken a few theoretical and practical courses on abnormal psych just because of me, so I trusted him unconditionally. I haven't been let down by him yet, after all.

He wasn't just my roommate or my best friend. Even though we weren't related by blood, he was like my sibling, and he was _definitely_ more of a brother than my _actual_ brother ever was or would be.

We ended up spending most of the day on the couch watching Netflix. Binging Blue Mountain State for about the seventh time didn't seem like such a bad idea. And yet I couldn't really get into it. I wasn't able to find Thad's idiocy even remotely funny or annoying. Alex's attempts at being a lazy ass seemed bland, and Sammy's awkward choices of how to handle women were just completely obnoxious altogether. My once favorite TV show was now nothing more than background noise to my own self-destructive thoughts.

My mind was still on that night. I could feel my heart rate go up each time I pictured Lucy's face when she saw me with Mira. It was driving me insane. I wanted to charge over to her place and try to fix this. I didn't know what I could possibly do or say to make things right, but I needed to do _something_. Just hiding from everything was pissing me off, and the anxiety caused by issues unresolved was clawing at the back of my head like a starving lion trapped in a dark room.

Erik told me to stay in and rest, but I couldn't. I knew he was going to head over to the store since we had shit for food left, so I waited for my chance. It was late in the afternoon when he finally went out, and I quickly snuck into my room to fetch some clothes. It was still late winter and I knew it was going to be cold despite my unnaturally high body heat. My immune system was still shot to hell due to my hangover. I didn't think I'd be able to force myself into a pair of jeans, though, so I got the warmest pair of sweats I could find.

As soon as I got into the bus that went through Lucy's place I got a call from Erik. I hung up. A text message quickly followed: _Please don't tell me you're gonna do what I think you're about to._

 _I can't just sit on the couch with my thumb up my ass when everything's going to hell, E. Just trust me. I'll be back soon._ I typed up shakily, my eyes occasionally darting up from my phone to the window to check if I was there yet.

 _If you end up killing yourself out of sheer misery so help me I will piss_ and _shit on your grave._

A sound resembling a chuckle left my throat.

 _Fuck you too._

I was outside of her apartment complex, and I was feeling as anxious as I'd never been before. My breathing was heavy and shaky, and I was pacing back and forth, trying to think of a plan in regards to what the fuck I was about to say to her. If she even decided to open the goddamn door, that is. I found one of the three pills of Xanax that Erik gave me in my jacket's pocket. I had decided to take one with me just in case of another panic attack – something that thankfully didn't rear its disgusting maw at me. _Yet_.

Eventually I decided against it as I made my way inside and into the elevator. I needed to be fully awake for this; I couldn't let the pill cloud my thinking when I faced her, and I couldn't have some stupid medication turn my feelings cold. Even if I choked from the pressure of another series of panic attacks, I needed to actually _feel_ what I did to her. I felt like that was the beginning to some kind of self-induced retribution that I thought I needed to put myself through. It was melodramatic and utterly stupid. I knew that. _I was never really that smart_ , I told myself as I finally rang her doorbell.

There was a quiet rumble of footsteps on the other side, and with every single tap that closed in I felt my heart sink deeper into my stomach. Time seemed excruciatingly slow and judging by how much I wanted to get the hell out of there I realized that the beginnings of a panic attack were peeking around the corner. I clenched my fists so hard my nails almost cut into my palms; I needed to control myself.

I was a bit confused when the person who opened the door wasn't Lucy but a different female, "Who…?" I blurted out in my stupor, staring the green haired female in the eyes. The way she snarled at me almost made my hair stand on end.

"Why the… Get the hell out of here!" She growled and was just about to slam the door shut right in my face but I pushed my hand against the door's frame and stopped her.

"I'm here to see Lucy-"

"Haven't you done enough already?!" Her voice was laced with venom and her eyes looked like they were trying to shove a dagger through my skull. It unnerved me, but I had to push on. Regardless of how much her words stung, like hell was I going to just back off now.

"Come on now, I just want to talk to her. That's it!" I pleaded as I tried to push the door open. I was getting a little annoyed with her myself, but I bit it down as best I could. Getting angry at who I can only assume was Lucy's friend was not something I had the right to do.

"I'm going to call the police if you don't fucking leave now!"

The fact that she was literally screaming and just begging for someone to hear really _was_ starting to piss me off. When I pushed against the door harder, I soon found that the green haired woman had released her hold on it. I almost fell into Lucy's apartment face-first at the sudden lack of outward pressure, and I swore I almost lost my shit when I saw a fucking _taser gun_ aimed right between my eyes.

"I'm warning you for the last time." She said coldly, and what was left of my composure screamed at me to get the hell out of here. She was dead serious about this. But there was only one problem: so was I.

I knew what this thing could do, and I _really_ didn't want to end up sprawled out on the floor, shaking like I had a fucking seizure while pissing and shitting myself, likely also awaiting a cop car to take me in. But neither my body nor my brain was listening to reason anymore. I stood my ground and glared back at her challengingly.

"If you're going to shoot me then fucking do it already because I'm going to see her." I said as calmly as I could. I might have actually pulled it off, too, but frankly on the inside I was scared shitless.

My entire body froze up when I saw her finger moving for the trigger. I waited for the sizzling pain to take me, hopefully knocking me out so I wouldn't be consciously humiliated.

"Brandy! Let him in!" Both the female and I jumped at the sound of Lucy's voice, her hold on the gun faltering slightly. And yet she still held it aimed directly at my forehead.

"Are you-"

"Yes! I'm sure!"

A hoarse sigh of a breath left the female's throat. Brandish was her name, I recalled, and she was Lucy's roommate. Lucy had told me about it once or twice before. She glared up at me and I returned the gesture ten-fold. I knew she was going to threaten me, but before she could I stormed right into Lucy's room. Not only did I not give a shit about whatever Brandish had to say to me, I needed to see Lucy.

And when I did… let's just say I grossly underestimated exactly how much I could hate myself.

She was a mess. Lucy's room was always unkempt by the end of the week as she only really had time to tidy up on Saturdays. I could tell she had been staying in bed ever since Friday simply due to the fact that her room was messier than even mine. Her hair was all over the place, make-up smeared under her eyes as though she'd been bawling her eyes out. Her face was still red and she had bags under her eyes.

"Hi." She said, her voice coarse and rigid. It almost looked like she'd start crying, but I knew better simply by the fact that she wasn't looking at me at all.

"Lucy, I-" I began but quickly choked the words back. The urge to gut myself grew exponentially when I realized that I was about to make up an excuse right off the bat. I released a deep and hollow sigh as I slowly approached her bed, "How… how are you?"

When she didn't answer, I actually thought gutting myself was a good idea.

"Okay, dumb question." I mumbled under my breath.

Being extremely careful, almost as if any sudden moves were about to scare her away like a stray cat, I sat on the edge of her bed and watched her. She still refused to make eye-contact. I wanted to tell her- no, to _beg_ her to look at me, but I knew she wouldn't. Her seemingly fragile hand was resting next to her – really close to me – and I briefly thought about embracing it with my own in a moment of weakness. Almost as though she had caught my train of thought, Lucy hugged herself with both arms as if she was cold.

"What do you want, Natsu?" I could tell from her voice that she was hurt and that she couldn't stand the sight of me. And holy fuck did that stir up something within me that I couldn't even begin to describe.

Before I could open my mouth I realized she was about to say something by the way she turned to me. Her eyes glared up at me, yet I could tell that she was holding herself back from something other than anger, "Do you want to apologize? To say you regret tossing me to the curb after the first girl to spread her legs for you showed up? To tell me things like I'm _not_ actually one of Natsu Dragneel's _conquests_?"

Okay, fuck stinging. This shit felt like impalement.

"Lucy, it isn't like that. You-… _you_ aren't like that." I defended. Tried to, anyway.

"Yeah? To me it sure as hell seems like I am right now." She curled up into a ball and held herself tighter, "I don't know anything anymore, Natsu. You-… I-… this is just all just so messed up right now. _I_ am so messed up right now I can't even think straight."

I bit my tongue and clenched my fist so hard my knuckles went white. Every single instinct in my body urged me to wrap my arms around her and pull her close. To tell her that everything would be alright. That I would somehow fix all of this. However ironically, though, my brain was the one telling me that was a bad idea, and right now I didn't think I could trust anything else.

"I know that whatever I say may not make things any better-"

"Damn straight."

"-but I want you to know that I _am_ sorry, Luce. I mean it. I-" My words died in my throat as I thought about what else I was supposed to say, "I fucked up bad. I know I did. And there's absolutely nothing I can do that can change that. It's just… this…this is not _me_ , Lucy. I mean it and I need you to believe me. Please. I had a bad night. A _very_ bad night. I had way too much to drink and it brought back some shitty memories and I just-"

"You just _what_?" She shot back coldly, "You want me to _believe_ you, Natsu? After what you did? I'm surprised I even let you into my home again in the first place. You can make up any excuse you want, but don't you even think about asking me to _believe_ you. How dare you come into my life, get closer to me than anyone ever has, break through every single wall I'd put up to keep myself from getting hurt… only to leave me for dead and ask me to believe you? How could you, Natsu? Why would you?"

"Maybe this _is_ you." She suddenly said, and I began to feel my stomach churning, dreading what I knew was coming next, "Maybe the Natsu I remember from our freshman year is actually gone. And this… this disgusting, narcissistic and self-destructive man-whore who doesn't give a crap about anyone really _is_ you, Natsu."

"I'm sorry…" She quickly said after a short pause. Maybe I let it slip my façade for a split second – I wasn't exactly sure. But what I knew was that Lucy realized her words cut deep; much deeper than most ever could and it was only because she was the one who said them. They were enough to make me regret not taking more Xanax pills with me.

"No." I replied, shaking my head, trying my best to keep myself composed, "I deserved that." _And more_ , I wanted to say, but didn't dare voice the thought.

"Natsu, look…" She took a deep breath, "I can't do this with you right now, okay?" Her voice was soft this time. Not hostile, not angry. Just sad and pained, "I need time. I need it because right now when I look at you all I can see is someone who reminds me of my father – someone who just threw me away when he thought I'd outlived my usefulness and who later came crawling back with hollow apologies when he needed something again."

"Lucy, please listen, I-" She shushed me with her palm against my lips.

"No, you listen to me." She said – asked – and I nodded, swallowing the saliva that I didn't know had built up in my throat, "I know that's not who you are, but after what happened I can't see you in any other way, and I hate that. I… I need to think about everything and come to grips with the situation before I can think of you as anything other than that. And then… I don't know… _maybe_ we can try to be friends again."

I was at a loss for words. So much information, both shocking and downright dreadful, had been presented to me in the span of several seconds that it made my head spin. My heart began racing. _Reminds me of my father. Hollow apologies. I can't see you in any other way…_ maybe _we can be friends again. Friends_. So many different things swam in my consciousness that I began to feel afraid of passing out. Anxiety added to the mix, and I realized I was having a panic attack.

And despite the fact that I thought I wasn't showing it, Lucy knew something was wrong.

Slowly, almost painfully, she scooted closer towards me and gently wrapped her arms around my neck, pulling me into an embrace. My whole body tensed and I held my breath as I felt her close to me. As if it were some kind of freakishly cheesy fairy tale, my anxiety began to disappear. The fog in my mind slowly began to dissipate.

I stopped hyperventilating.

So lost in my own thoughts that I had lost any and all attention I had to the outside world.

And I felt fucking pathetic.

Her grip around me tightened as she snuggled into my collarbone, "Please, Natsu… Just give me some time, okay?" She said softly, and I honestly felt like I was about to cry like a baby.

Some moments passed as I tried composing myself before I let my arms snake around her waist and pulled her closer, "Yeah…" I said, strengthening the grip of my hold. I knew we stayed close for only a short while, but to me it felt even shorter - like mere fractions of a second, "Yeah. Okay."

Even though unwillingly, we pulled apart. She didn't want to and I didn't want to. But I understood the situation she was in. Lucy needed space, and I was going to give her as much of it as she needed. I felt as though I would do anything to have her forgive me, so I figured obliging to her request was a good starting point.

She gave me a short smile – something that I could tell was forced – and I showed myself out the door, deciding I would walk to clear my head.

The air was thick and cold on my way home. It had already gotten dark by the time I left Lucy's apartment, and I was thankful for it because my eyes were still very sensitive from the hangover. The sight of bright white snow would have given me a headache worse than the one I already had.

As emotionally exhausted as I felt, I tried to keep myself from breaking down. Lucy hadn't completely given up on me yet, I realized. I fucked up – I knew that, but she still had it in her heart to at least _consider_ forgiving me.

I shoved my hand into my jacket's pocket and pulled out the medicine Erik had given me. My eyes lingered on it for a good few moments as I thought over my next decision. I couldn't let myself go back to who I was before. This person, this… _bastard_ who ran whenever he had problems to deal with; who pushed away anyone who ever cared about him; who completely broke apart and abused substances to make it easier when something unfortunate happened… I couldn't be that guy again. I had to learn how to stand on my own two feet and take care of myself before I completely screwed my life up.

I couldn't afford to be this self-destructive sociopath who hurts those closest to him and would end up eventually killing himself.

And so I tossed the Xanax into a stray trashcan before heading directly home.

When I got back I went straight to bed. After this weekend I was drained both physically and emotionally and all I really wanted to do was pass out for a good night's sleep… which admittedly was anything but that as I kept waking up over and over again.

I didn't go to class the next day. Yeah, I was resolved to piecing myself back together, but I still couldn't picture myself in any social interactions. Not only could I not deal with it, I would have probably lashed out on somebody. People liked to gossip, and I figured that Lucy and I's 'break-up' was the hot topic going around campus.

Erik was cool with lending me his car for the day, and I used the opportunity to get out of town and see the outskirts. All I did was drive and let the open road guide my way. I needed to clear my head and to have some time to think about everything.

By about eleven in the evening when I knew Mest had just finished closing Clive Center up I took my training gear and decided to shoot some hoops. If there was one thing I knew was fact it was that basketball helped me think. It was the only real time I felt fully cognizant and aware. I couldn't put it into words. Something about being on that court with the ball in my hands was strangely calming and clairvoyant.

Little did I know the hangover from three days ago messed me up _this_ bad. I missed free throws, I couldn't reach the damn hoop for a dunk to save my life, and I couldn't even manage a fucking layup. Down on my knees, I fought just to breathe.

A million thoughts per second raced in the confined highways of my mind, all of them centered on that one blonde woman who had begun reverting me into someone that I was before. Someone hopeful. Someone who actually tried thinking of his future dreams without assuming that the entire world was fucked enough to stubbornly do its damndest to shut him down and crush his shoulders under its weight. Someone who didn't do whatever the hell he wanted with people without giving a shit about the consequences. Someone who was fun to be around and spend time with. Someone you could trust.

All of that was Lucy's doing. After what happened with my ex I really did change. I kept telling myself that in order to survive I had to become someone cold and disconnected; a person who lived for himself. Someone who had no expectations or trust in others never got hurt, after all. But Lucy made me realize that all of that was just utter bullshit. It wasn't surviving. It was running away.

And I'd be damned if I ran another mile for reasons beyond my physical preparation.

I couldn't let myself be the person I've become any more. I hurt those around me, and I practically blew any and all chances I've ever had with the one girl who gave enough of a crap to bother with me in a genuinely caring way.

Fixing what I had done to Lucy was my first priority, that was true. But I knew that I had to start with myself before I could try repairing my relationships with other people. That was why I was in Clive Center, I figured. I was trying to achieve something that my body seemed incapable of doing in its current state. It may have been pointless, but trying over and over again, regardless if I failed or not, gave me some kind of solace.

It was like trying to push through a stone wall, honestly. Every time I stood back up and tried to drive to the hoop I would fail miserably. My legs were shaky and my breathing was getting heavier with each attempt, but I was determined to see this through. I was weak once before. Brought to my knees and kicked when I was down. I broke apart. I lashed out. I made life difficult not only for myself but for those around me through my behavior.

I wasn't going to go back to that again, not even at my worst. My eyes were open and my skin was so much thicker now. I refused to come undone ever again.

And when I finally smashed the ball into the hoop with enough force to almost bring the whole thing down, I felt something click.

It was time for a fucking change.


	22. Chapter 22

_**A/N:** Winter break has come and so have I! Damn, now I want to play Devil May Cry. Anyway, sorry it took so long - this semester was a the worst one I've had yet. Since I got three weeks of break now though Imma do my best to write at least several more, aight?  
_

 _Now, **because** this semester was a total bag of dicks, how about you awesome bastards and bastardettes show this one some love? Could certainly use it, y'know?_

* * *

 ** _Hangover_**

* * *

"So… what do you call an enemy team that just refuses to fucking die?"

 _"El termino_ fucking _no se encuentra en la base de datos. Por favor, repita la palabra desea definir."_

"Shut up, Siri."

"I don't know… cheaters?"

"That or you just suck ass at the game."

 _"El termino_ ass _no se encuentra en la base de datos. Por favor, repita la palabra desea definir."_

"Yeah. _Clearly_." Natsu stated, pulling up the score tab for Gajeel to get a look at his K/D ratio, also giving him an annoyed stare as a result, "See, cheaters I could stomach. But this… this is fucking bullshit."

 _"El termino_ fucking _y_ bullshit _no se encuentra en la base de datos. Por favor, repita la palabra desea definir."_

"The second Titanfall's still pretty new, y'know?" Erik reasoned, playing with a pen in between his fingers as he watched their new TV's screen with mild interest, "Then again there's absolutely no excuse for a Northstar to deal this little damage. That thing's a sniper, for Gods' sake."

" _Right?!_ " Natsu jumped up, throwing his hands into the air, "I swear to God the number of times I hit someone's Titan with a fully charged shot to the face and _didn't_ deal any proper fucking damage is pissing me off."

 _"El termino fuck no se encuentra en la base de datos. Por favor, repita la palabra desea definir."_

"Oh for fu-"

"I actually missed that thing."

Erik looked up, dumbfounded, turned to Gajeel who had said that, turned back to stare at nothing, and finally shook his head in astonishment. And here he thought he'd heard everything.

"Can we go back to studying now?" Gray complained as he looked up from his textbook, clear irritation in his voice, "We didn't come here to watch you play Titanfall. Don't you have shit to do?"

 _"El termino_ shit _no se encuentra en la base de datos. Por favor, repita la palabra desea definir."_

Natsu just shrugged, "Did all my sh- _stuff_ last week."

Gray just blinked dumbly and continued to do that several more times before his brain processed the information, " _You_ did homework _early_?"

"…I was bored?"

"How bored?"

"Uuuh… more or less half the semester bored?"

Even the usually 'I'm-used-to-Natsu's-bullshit' Gajeel dropped his pen in shock, "You did _half the semester's_ work in less than a _week_?"

Natsu rolled his eyes, "Did I stutter?"

" _Why?_ " Their two guards both asked in unison, still very much shocked by the newly acquired knowledge.

"Needed to get my mind off things." Natsu said. A very sudden and abrupt chill ran through the room when realization dawned in the two unaware basketball players. Erik hadn't said anything as he already knew what was going on – hell, he was the one who encouraged Natsu to be productive in an otherwise _very_ shitty situation.

Gajeel, on the other hand, wouldn't let it go, "Don't you usually go hooping or something to do that?"

Biting his lip, Natsu mashed his controller as he tried to pull off an escape maneuver and later blast an enemy pilot to smithereens. Something that sadly ended it failure, however, "Uuuh… the gym's closed at night?"

That very chill briefly returned, but Gajeel was quick to speak again, "Play video games then?"

"I obviously would have, but, see, I have a roommate who is super fucking sensitive to any and all acoustics and will pretty much turn into Professor Porlyusica on a bad day if he's woken up. Fucking hypocrite"

 _"El termino_ fucking _no se encuentra en la base de datos. Por favor, repita la palabra desea definir."_

"Hey. The hell's that supposed to mean?" Erik suddenly glared up from his own textbook with a raised brow.

"It means that Kagura's moans are enough to wake half the neighborhood up but you don't seem to give a shit."

 _"El termino_ shit _no se encuentra en la base de datos. Por favor, repita la palabra desea definir."_

"Maybe I'm just that good."

"Yeah, she's _obviously_ not faking it to make you feel better about your autistic wiener."

"Guys!" Gray complained again, this time adding a very prominent growl to his voice, " _Studying,_ remember?"

Groaning overdramatically, Natsu tossed his controller aside and turned to their two-guard, "What the hell are you stuck on?"

"Comm theory."

"Which part?"

"Rhetoric."

Gajeel snorted, "Are you _seriously_ stuck on like the easiest part of the course?"

"Yeah. Sure. Easiest it probably is. But there's a helluva lot of information that we need to know for that crap."

 _"El termino_ crap _no se encuentra en la base de datos. Por favor, repita la palabra desea definir."_

" _Exactly._ " Natsu chimed in, "There's a lot there for Rhetoric. So how about you be a little bit more specific about what the hell you're stuck on, snowflake?"

"Bite me, Torchwick."

"Ooooh snap! A reference to a shitty RWBY character! Funny." Natsu said, feigning excitement as he raised a thumbs up.

The dark haired Shooting Guard sighed and rubbed his face with his hands, "Aristotle's three types of oratory. I can't remember _or_ differentiate between them for the life of me."

"Okay, uuuh…" Natsu pinched the bridge of his nose as he went deep into his thoughts. When it hit him, he snapped his fingers, "Okay, forensic. _This bastard is a hypocritical little jackass who never before walked his own talk._ " He looked to Erik and smirked when the redhead glared at him.

 _"El termino_ bastard _no se encuentra en la base de datos. Por favor, repita la palabra desea definir."_

"Deliberative: _we have to find ways to make this bastard walk his talk for the better life of all!"_

 _"El termino_ bastard _no se encuentra en la base de datos. Por favor, repita la palabra desea definir."_

"Epideictic? _This awesome fellow just banged the bastard's mother. All praise be to him!_ "

 _"El termino_ bastard _no se encuentra en la base de datos. Por favor, repita la palabra desea definir."_

"Can someone please shut that thing up?" Gajeel interjected, rubbing his temples as he was starting to feel the beginnings of a migraine.

"Which one? Siri or that dickhole Natsu?"

 _"El termino_ dickhole _no se encuentra en la base de datos. Por favor, repita la palabra desea definir."_

"Either."

"Got it?" Natsu asked, and Gray nodded as a response as he was taking notes, "Just remember that the opposites work for them, too, like… okay, forensic blames people for shit, right? It's also used to defend. _Hopefully_ you can make sense out of them with that."

"Oh! Alright, so…" When Fullbuster spoke up, both Gajeel and Erik looked at each other, feeling dumbfounded, both sharing the specific _he actually got that?_ thought through eye contact alone, "Forensic is justice and injustice and focuses on the past. Deliberative searches for advantages or disadvantages for the future. Epideictic praises or blames a person's present virtues or vices?"

"Yup."

"How the hell did he get any of that?"

"No clue. Takes a special kind of idiot to know another, I guess." Erik replied, sighing as he leaned back into his armchair, "Why do you two have comm theory anyway?"

Natsu shrugged, "Easy grade?"

"It was supposed to be, anyway." Gray argued as he took down some notes, his brows furrowing as his brain tried to process even more information.

"That's always been an easy class. I had it in the second semester of my freshman year." Gajeel stated, yet mentally he was focused on his own notes.

"Yeah, well, you haven't seen this year's professor." Natsu said, sighing, "I swear I haven't seen a cunt like her in ages."

 _"El termino_ cunt _no se encuentra en la base de datos. Por favor, repita la palabra desea definir."_

"You already saw her cunt?!" Erik gasped, feigning shock.

 _"El termino_ cunt _no se encuentra en la base de datos. Por favor, repita la palabra desea definir."_

"Go choke on a cactus, E." The fiery haired Dragneel replied, giving his roommate a light glare, "You know what I mean. It sucks when it's not the class itself that's difficult but it's the 'professor' who is making it out to be."

"C'est la vie." Gajeel concluded, and the two communication theorists shared a collective sigh between one another, "Oh… uh, think you may want to have a look at this, pinky." The dark haired man, who very rarely seemed worried, definitely had something akin to concern on his face as he waved for Natsu to come over and look at his open laptop.

Natsu hummed curiously, "Huh? What's up-" Everybody present noticed how Natsu's words died in his throat and he just stared at the device's screen, a mixture of surprise, disdain, and anxiety very prominent in his gaze.

"What is it?" Erik questioned as he stood up, Gray quickly following suit, "Wait, what?"

"Seriously? _Him_?"

Gajeel had been scrolling through his Facebook feed when he found a rather interesting post by none other than Loke Lion. The post checked him and _Lucy Heartfilia_ into _el cafe_ earlier today, and he couldn't believe he'd missed it.

" _Chill Sunday with my boo boo_ … Ugh, I think I just got diabetes on my tongue." Their Point Guard spat in disgust, honestly beginning to feel nauseous.

"You don't think they're…?"

"Can't be." Erik answered Gray's question adamantly, his glare turning into a worried glance towards Natsu, "She isn't that type of girl. We know that."

"Must just be Loke's usual bullshit." Gajeel reaffirmed when he caught what Erik was saying.

Natsu, on the other hand, was just staring at Lucy's face in the picture. She was smiling that very same smile she'd normally give him. And yet he didn't know whether it was him imagining things, but the smile seemed forced. Despite this, he knew he couldn't trust his brain right now. It would play all kinds of scenarios out for him to make him feel like shit. It was how his brain was wired to make him overthink, and he hated that.

 _Erik has a point. It can't be… right?_

 _But what if it is?_

"Bathroom." Natsu stated before quickly jumping up from his seat and quietly whizzing towards his announced destination. The three remaining basketball players cast worried glances between each other.

Gajeel groaned as he leaned back into the sofa, "God-fucking-damn-it." He said, his words being accompanied by silence. Even the unusually loud Siri hadn't spoken up which was tantamount to how fucked this situation was. "She's been seeing him."

"That's what the rumors have been about lately, yeah." Gray confirmed, looking very much pissed off.

"What was it you said?" Erik questioned, "C'est la vie?" He slowly proceeded to stand up, "I'm gonna go make some coffee. You guys want anything?" When they shook their heads a negative, the redhead heaved an uneasy breath before making his way towards the kitchen.

First, however, he stopped by the bathroom Natsu entered when he made sure the other two didn't see him.

Gluing his ear to the door, Erik furrowed his brows when he picked up the sound of quick and shallow breaths. He knew what this meant, and it explained why Natsu so suddenly darted towards where nobody could neither see nor hear him.

Natsu didn't have an easy time dealing with this entire mess. And as Erik proceeded towards the kitchen after tapping the bathroom's door lightly in a show of support, he thought back on the last week. He'd asked Kagura to lay off on visiting for a while because of that very same reason, and while the girl was against not being there for Natsu, she realized that she could do little in terms of helping him. She respected Natsu's privacy to personal matters enough to let him deal with things on his own.

The Power Forward definitely hadn't been sleeping well lately. During the day he'd either preoccupy himself with classes or practice, sometimes both, and during the night he'd study. Whenever he tried to sleep, he'd either have nightmares or a panic attack, which was a clear result of Natsu's decision to go cold turkey with this as opposed to how he usually handled his genuinely medical condition. Erik didn't approve of it, but he respected both Natsu's decision, his strength to make that decision, and the will to go through with it. Despite the sleepless nights, the seemingly endless number of panic attacks, and the anxiety that followed him like a shadow, Natsu didn't cave and relapse.

And the level of skill which he showed in terms of hiding it could make him one hell of a con artist.

Erik couldn't know how Lucy was dealing with it, but it was apparent that she was having an easier time than Natsu. That or she was just as good at hiding things as the pinket was. Oh the irony of the one who fucked up feeling worse than the one who got fucked over. He couldn't blame the pinket though. Based on his condition and the previous experiences that made said condition much, much worse, a fuck up like this having this effect on him was to be expected. Cause and effect, just the effect had many more previous causes than anyone knew.

The past week had been extremely productive though. Erik and Natsu, whenever they both had time, were all over the place, going from one store to the other. They replaced what Natsu had destroyed and ended up getting some new stuff as well. They bought a new sixty inch flat-screen TV, a home acoustics system that could literally blow their windows off their frames, and some other stuff that was mostly used for renovating their living room.

Ikaruga and the other girls from Eclipse helped them redecorate the place, giving advice on new wallpapers, furniture, lights and everything else. Hell, the guys even changed the parquet floor, which Erik argued was overkill but eventually went with it. From a very boring orange their living room's walls transformed into a welcoming hazelnut. The parquet was a lighter sea salt color, and to compliment it was white-gray furniture consisting of a corner sofa, another simple sofa, and two armchairs, all surrounding a medium-sized living room table. Combine that with yellow-ish curtains and their living room had this completely new yet welcoming feeling to it that neither Natsu nor Erik could really put into words.

Their living room, which before essentially looked like a frat boys' dorm, had now turned into an actually livable area.

The price to cover was a bitch, though. But between how much money they'd saved over the years, the fact that neither of them had to pay any tuition fees, the landlord chipping in, and that they split the check was enough to make it affordable.

"Coffee?" Erik turned when he heard a rather coarse voice, noticing Natsu appearing in the kitchen. Traces of exhaustion were evident in the bags under his eyes and his labored breathing. This panic attack must have finally pushed him over his limits. Or, at the very least, left him on the edge.

"Yeah." The SF nodded, offering his roommate a small smile, "Want some?"

"Do we still have any RedBull?"

"Think you should?"

He shook his head, "Probably not."

"Think you need it?"

Natsu paused before smiling, "Yeah. I think I do."

"Then RedBull it is." Erik concluded as he fished out their last can of the energy drink from their fridge and began brewing the caffeine explosive.

Natsu leaned on their kitchen counter and crossed his arms in front of his chest. A deep sigh escaped his throat as he delved into his subconscious. Erik turned over his shoulder with a raised brow, "Tell me you're not thinking about doing what I think you are."

The pinket snorted, "Yeah, I _do_ actually want to murder that assclown. Wouldn't you?"

"If he was messing with Kagura? I'd already be there with a bat." He admitted as he watched the bubbling yellow-ish liquid mix with the contrasting pitch-black of coffee, "But-"

"But that's not what you or I _should_ do. Yeah, yeah. I know, E. I know." Natsu ran a hand along his hair, feeling a mixture of exhaustion, frustration, anger and confusion flooding him all at the same time. Frankly, he thought he was going insane, "Thanks." He said, taking the cup of the only reprieve that was left to him when Erik offered it.

"So what _are_ you going to do?" The redhead questioned, moving to stand next to his roommate.

"Weather the storm and try not let what's left of this little boat of sanity sink under this ginormously scary tsunami? I don't fucking know." Natsu said before taking a sip out of the concoction. It was disgusting and made his stomach churn, but it kept him awake. Stressing his system was definitely not a good idea, especially when he knew his mental state was far above and beyond anything stable. But Natsu knew that with sleep came nightmares, and the nightmares he had were much worse than what anybody would ever sign up for.

Erik stayed quiet for a few moments as he enjoyed his own coffee, the two of them zoning out the conversation between Gajeel and Gray, "She's Lucy." He said, making Natsu turn to him, "Right?"

"The fuck is that supposed to mean?"

"She's _that blondie_. Funny. Smart. Loyal. Trusting." He said, "She's a bookworm. She's hardworking. She has no friends. She's naïve. She's easy to mess with. And she's also a fucking nightmare to deal with. That's what _you_ told me way back when, right?"

"Yeah? What's your point?"

"Give her time." Erik said, "You know her better than anyone here. You should know she wouldn't just jump on another guy as soon as you messed something up. And even _if_ she did, it would _definitely_ not be Loke fucking Lion. Mavis, that guy is like a walking STD."

"Some would argue that I-"

"You? Yeah, no. You're like an amoeba compared to what kind of disease that douchebag is." The redhead took a moment to let that register in Natsu's brain, taking his snort as a clue that he could continue, "You need to become her friend again. Give her space. Don't pressure her. If she wants to hang around that guy – let her. You're in no position to tell her what to do anyway. And besides, eventually she'll see for herself exactly what kind of trash he is."

"What if I can't, though?" Natsu replied with his own question, "What if I see him do… ugh, _something_ to her and I snap? What then, E? I'll break his fucking fingers off one by one!"

"No, you won't."

"How can you be sure?"

"Because you know what'll happen if you do."

Natsu made eye contact with his roommate after he said this, and he recognized that what he said wasn't a suggestion. It was something that _had_ to be fact in order for any of this to work. A loud and very overdramatic groan left the pinket, "Mavis, why does this have to be so fucking difficult?"

"You should be glad that _this_ even exists. Any other girl would've shoved her foot up your ass and told you to fuck off." Erik finished, smirking at his roommate who heaved out a sharp _hah_ at the comment.

"Gee, thanks. I feel better already."


	23. Chapter 23

_**A/N:** Yay, managed to publish this on time. So, uuuh... yeah. Merry Christmas._

* * *

 _ **Hangover**_

* * *

"Damn it, E!"

"I'm going as fast as I can."

"The last three stoplights you didn't make beg to differ."

"Do you _want_ me to kill someone?"

"Yeah. Totally. There are only so many times I can be late for this fucking class." Natsu growled out, checking his phone for the time as he rode shotgun in Erik's Charger. Surprisingly, Siri had kept her proverbial mouth shut, though it might have had something to do with Natsu spending around six hours last night taking his iPhone apart.

"Well if you hadn't decided to put your phone out of commission and overslept this wouldn't have happened in the first place." The redhead argued, checking the side mirrors and later turning over his shoulder to check the rear-end side as he was about to switch lanes.

"Oh, so you'd rather have Siri shouting in your face every ten goddamn-" Natsu abruptly cut himself off when Erik managed to hit quite a large and deep hole in the road, almost making him lose control of the vehicle, "Oh for fuck's sake, I am _not_ repairing your car again!"

"Hey, you're the one who said this route would take us to uni faster. I'm unfamiliar with this piece of-" the car rocked hard as they hit another hole, " _SHIT_!"

The pinket rolled his eyes, "You only need to keep your eyes on the road you moron."

"Do you see a way to dodge those ones?" He asked angrily, pointing to the front.

When Natsu followed Erik's hand and focused on what he was pointing at, he groaned in annoyance, "Okay. Crap. Brace for impact." The ride to university was both fast and bumpy and Natsu swore the next time they were about to be late he'd be the one to drive. They took about three more minutes after Erik finally 'grew some balls,' as Natsu put it, and decided that the speed limit was definitely going to make them late.

As soon as they entered the parking lot Natsu collected a few books, a pen and a notebook from the backseat and fixed his Lakers snapback on his head, "I'll see you at practice." He said and jumped out of the still-mobile vehicle. Instantly programming himself into a full-speed sprint Natsu made a beeline towards the building, dodging people as he went, "Comin' through. 'scuse me. Pardon me. _Oh for the love of_ \- get out of the damn way!"

A few grunts of annoyance and a whole lot of running later Natsu was already inside his designated classroom, literally seconds before the professor. Looking around he found an empty seat in the back next to Gray and behind Lisanna.

"Erik's driving again?" Fullbuster questioned, eyes down as he was rereading his notes from their previous study session.

"Like you wouldn't believe." Natsu said as he sprawled out on his seat, trying to catch his breath, "Though you could say it was Siri's fault too."

The door to their classroom was suddenly pulled open, "Page fifty-six." The newly arrived professor's voice boomed as she stomped towards the front of the class to leave her things on her desk.

 _What is this, potion's class?_ Natsu thought, mentally remarking how the woman even looked like Snape with all that grease in her messy jet-black hair.

The professor proceeded to give everyone present a very unnervingly scrutinizing glare. And as Natsu guessed she would, she stopped at him. Her eyes narrowing, she took a few steps towards the pinket and tipped his snapback backwards with a flick of her finger, "No hats indoors, Dragneel. I see manners weren't a relevant topic in your household."

The pinket returned the glare ten-fold and had about fifteen different retorts in mind. He, however, chose not to use them since he knew every single one of them would land him in some deep shit with the school which he really didn't want to deal with. What little he knew about this new professor assured him that even Jellal wouldn't be able to get him out of the definite shitstorm she'd toss him in.

Begrudgingly, Natsu muttered a quiet _sorry_ before leaving his snapback under his seat. Fixing the messy mop that was his hair, Dragneel completely zoned out the lecture and sunk into the deep abyss that were his complicated thoughts in regards to Lucy possibly dating Loke. The root of the problem wasn't even how he'd look – being dumped and exchanged for _Loke_ , of all people, was insulting on too many levels, but that was irrelevant to him. Hell, it wasn't even how Lucy'd look, which wasn't all that good considering it was obvious people would call her a whore. You can't jump from one guy to another and not expect people to blow things out of proportion.

What made the pinket worry the most was _why_ Loke decided to go after her. She was hot, sure, and that was definitely the only thing that mattered to the crowned man-whore king of FTU. But, as much as Natsu hated to admit it, Loke wouldn't have any problems going after someone even from a goddamn fashion magazine, hence why the pinket knew there was a specific reason why this was happening. Lucy would be used as an object with the intent of hurting Natsu, and what pissed him off about this the most was the likely way Lucy was going to react to this once she realizes what Loke was doing.

So enthralled by his own thoughts, he hadn't even noticed how he almost crushed his pen in his hand.

 _I'm so tired of all this crap. Ugh._

The fiery haired PF was brought out of his thoughts when Lisanna cleared her throat. Looking towards her, Natsu saw she was holding out a small folded piece of paper behind her back. Curious, he took it and unfolded it, noticing that it was a note addressed to him.

And when he read it, his eyebrow twitched, "Aw shit."

"What was that?"

"Nothing, ma'am."

When Gray turned to him with a raised brow, Natsu showed him the note.

 _Mira's going to be at reception after class._

Gray slowly turned back to his notes after exhaling a sharp gust of a breath and quickly raising and lowering his eyebrows, showing that he really didn't envy Natsu through his facial expressions. _Thanks, asshole._ Natsu scratched his temple uneasily before scribbling down a quick answer.

 _Yeah? And?_

The note was returned moments later.

 _What do you mean 'and?' Go apologize!_

 _I did._

 _ **Erik**_ _did._

His foot tapping on the ground anxiously, Natsu felt both nervous and annoyed by this. Releasing a long and pent up breath, he crumpled the paper in his hand and tossed it into the trash bin when the banshee of a professor wasn't looking.

"Fullbuster." Said banshee screeched, waking both basketball players from whatever they were thinking about, "I don't like to get my hopes up and assume you've tried to use your testosterone-filled brain in your off-time… but I've been informed by the board that I should _at the very least_ let you _try_ passing my class. Aristotle's three types of oratory. Don't worry, you don't have to use tradition-specific vocabulary. Don't want you suffering a mental breakdown, do we?"

Natsu snorted in amusement before looking away as the professor's glare move to him. When Gray proceeded to recite the answer actually using the mentioned tradition-specific vocabulary, Natsu couldn't help the smug smirk that came over him at the sheer sight that was the older woman's reaction. Suffice it to say the two-guard's answer took her aback a few galaxies and then some.

"What do you find amusing, _Dragneel_?" The woman hissed, forcing Natsu's smirk to only grow.

"You know what they say about proving someone wrong, _ma'am_." The pink haired basketball player answered as he supported his head with his hand against his cheek.

"Indeed I do. And yet you still have a long way to go in order to reach _proving_." Natsu could barely suppress the cringe at her devil's smile, the feeling that something bad was about to happen instantly welling up in his gut as he let his head hang in defeat, "Because it would be _unfair_ of me to test only Fullbuster, _all_ of you will be given a written test this Wednesday. Come prepared for five open ended questions on Aristotle's, Sophists' and Foss and Griffin's versions of Rhetoric." The entire class groaned in unison at the declaration, "You can thank _Mr. Dragneel_ for making me rethink my decision of treating you like high school sophomores."

 _Fuck off_ , Natsu mouthed to anyone who dared glare in his general direction. _I hate her… goddamn chupacabra._

As soon as class was over the two teammates gathered their stuff and moved into the hallway. That is, after Natsu took an excruciatingly long amount of time fixing his snapback on his head in front of their professor, of course.

"Dude, you're just asking her for shit like that." Gray said, rolling his eyes at Natsu's antics when they were in the hallway.

"If this were any other semester I'd probably care… now though? I don't really give a rat's ass as long as she stays within what she's teaching us in class." He replied.

The brunet snorted, "You really think she will?"

"…touché. Damn it. Oh whatever. You tune in on yesterday's game?"

"Westbrook fuckin' slayed it. How many triple-doubles does this guy even have this season? Thirteen?"

"With Yesterday's game it's at fourteen now and it's not even the middle stretch." Natsu said, grinning "Can I get an MVP?"

"MVP! MVP! MVP!" The two of them chanted in unison, earning amused glances from other people in the hallway, though most of them weren't really surprised as they were used to it from the forward and guard.

They shared a laugh between one another as they entered the lounge of the building. Natsu stopped in his tracks for a split second when he noticed a beautiful white haired female sitting at the reception desk, her blue orbs for eyes quickly darting back to her computer screen after momentarily making eye-contact with him.

Gray turned back to Natsu, raising a brow, "Yo, you coming?"

A sigh left Natsu's throat, "Yeah, just… gimme a sec, alright? I'll catch up." He said. Fullbuster followed Natsu's gaze and upon seeing Mirajane his mind instantly realized what was going on. Nodding to the pinket, the brunet offered a lazy thumbs up as his way of saying _good luck_ before he made his way for the cafeteria.

"Hey." Natsu greeted as he leaned on the reception desk with his elbows, feeling nervous as he forced a twist in his lips to resemble a smile. He'd quickly found that this was awkwardly more difficult than he thought it'd be. Normally Natsu would have no problems talking to a girl he just had sex with. And in this case he didn't even sleep with her to begin with!

"Hi." Mirajane answered, and yet the pinket quickly realized that the smile she returned was just as forced as his was.

"How… how are you?" _Good going, douchebag. Stutter some more. See if that helps_ , he thought inwardly, _geez, what is this? A dumb MTV-shore reality TV show? Get your shit together_.

"Honestly?" The white haired woman breathed out a sigh before making eye-contact, "I'm good, but been better. You?"

"Pretty much in that same grey area." He answered, meaning every single word he said. It wasn't like Natsu was in the deep end of fucked anymore. Sure, he was still oftentimes getting panic attacks and general bouts of feeling like a complete and utter son of a bitch. But because of Erik and his own surprising burst of willpower he'd managed to climb out of that hole.

"Listen, uhm, I…" He began again, realizing that a very unwelcome silence had embraced the two of them, "There's no real easy way to say this but, y'know…" He trailed on, getting angry with himself, "Damn it. I'm sorry, okay? For the cool fairies gig. I was a total douchebag that night."

Mirajane stared at him like he'd grown a second head. She'd blinked once. Twice. Thrice. And eventually just burst out into a fit of giggles, making _him_ stare at her like her cup size suddenly had a burst of growth and went from DDs to Gs, "Wha…?"

"S-sorry…" She managed to squeeze out through her small humorous fit, doing her best to compose herself, "I just never expected you to actually come out with an apology."

"Hey now." Natsu warned, his eyes narrowing slightly, "I might be an ass, but I ain't no dick. Wait, that didn't come out right." The pinket actually had to suppress a blush of embarrassment when his blunder only served to feed the receptionist's laughter.

"There is also an innuendo somewhere in there. Oh, wait, no, it came out." She said in between her fits, the pinket swearing to himself that he'd have probably thrown something at her if he wasn't trying to apologize, "But yeah, I get it. You ain't no dick. You're an ass."

"Oh shut up." Natsu said through a light chuckle as this time he did actually throw a stray pamphlet at her which he found lying around at the reception desk.

Raising her arms in time, Mira caught the projectile and giggled again, "No, but seriously. It's okay." She said, smiling up at him, "It kinda sucks that you'd only _hang_ with me when you're drunk, but I think I can manage."

"Oi…" He croaked out, suddenly feeling the guilt from before again, "That's not-"

"I get it. It's fine." She admitted. Natsu never really had to explain the situation to her. Mirajane wasn't dense, she knew that she was used as a substitute in that situation, which in turn ended up not only hurting her, but Lucy as well. Did she have the right to be pissed? Hell yeah. Was she? As pissed as a woman scorned. At first, anyway.

Being one of the few people Natsu considered his best friends, her sister Lisanna had told her about some of Natsu's experiences from the last couple of years. Considering what had happened, Mirajane had begun feeling a little sorry for the pinket. Her own kind-hearted nature which she hated got the better of her and she had begun seeing things from Natsu's perspective. Drunk, lonely, ashamed and guilt-ridden wasn't a healthy combination and the end result was that fuck-up that was the Friday after break ended.

"Seriously. Apology accepted."

Natsu raised a brow at how cheery she had gotten – almost as if that Friday had never happened and he'd never done anything to or with her to begin with. It was odd, but then again the pinket couldn't exactly say it wasn't a massive load off his shoulders. Part of him felt way better.

Only a part, though.

"So… we good?"

The white haired beauty hummed as she brought a finger to her chin, staring off into space as she mimicked a thinking pose, "Well, it'll take a couple of months for me to bring myself to hoping you'll stop liking Lucy… but yeah, we're good."

Dragneel snorted in barely restrained amusement, "What is it with you women? Getting burnt once not enough?"

"Lucky for you, huh?"

"Ouch." He hissed, clutching at his heart as though he'd just been shot, erecting an amused chuckle from the female, "Alright, well, I gotta head over to the caf. A frostbitten schlong is waiting for me there."

"That… didn't come out right either."

"How would you know?" Natsu grinned as he waggled his eyebrows, this time having to dodge a stray pamphlet that she threw at him, "See you around?"

"Yeah." Natsu offered a lazy salute as a response to Mira's wave before bolting outside. He made his way along campus and into Clive Center where both the gym and the cafeteria were. Scanning the area, his hawk-like gaze managed to zoom in on Gray standing in the middle of the long-ass line to the cashier.

"All done?" The brunet asked when he noticed the fiery haired Dragneel approach.

"Yeah- oh, _shut up_." He growled to a random student who had said something about Natsu cutting in line, "About as done as it can be. I swear, women confuse the hell outta me."

"What happened?"

"She literally still wants a piece of me. If you know what I mean."

Gray rolled his eyes, "Now _I_ feel confused."

"The fuck's that supposed to mean?"

The two of them grabbed some food and went down to their usual table. The rest of the team quickly joined them and they erupted into talks about last night's game. Laxus had at first watched Natsu curiously and perhaps even a little bit nervously. The big guy was quickly put to ease though when Erik bumped his arm, nodding to indicate that he was fine. Well, as fine as the situation permitted, anyway.

What nobody expected, though, was to see a giggling Lucy enter the building together with Loke.

"Natsu-" Erik began but was quickly cut off when the basketball player in question jumped to his feet.

"I'll be right back." He said and with quickly-paced steps darted towards the two blondes.

"Here we go again." Gajeel said with a groan.

"Yo." Natsu said with a wave as he approached the two, "Lucy, can I talk to you?"

Heartfilia was caught off guard for a split second and took a bit to cleanly put on her bemused expression, "Yeah. Sure."

When he realized that Loke still hadn't taken the hint, he gave him his fiercest glare, "Why are _you_ still here? Take a hike." Raising his hands up defensively, the bench player smirked in slight amusement before heading over to the end of the cafeteria line.

"Nice, Natsu. Real nice." Lucy commented as she shook her head dismissively.

"What?" The pinket shot back, "The asshole had it coming. That and more if he does anything."

"Like _what_? Hanging out with me?" She hissed, glaring up at him in a way Natsu had never seen before. The gesture that was intent to make him back down, however, backfired and ended up actually _annoying_ him.

"Why the fuck are you even with that douchebag?" He growled out, matching her glare with one of his own.

Her reaction was a mixture of a groan and a sigh as she walked past him, "I can't believe I'm even having this conversation."

Natsu grabbed her by the arm, "Oi-"

"Don't touch me!" Lucy shrieked as she pulled away, "Don't you _dare_ fucking touch me."

If Natsu hadn't noticed before, now he definitely felt regret welling up inside his chest, "Lucy, I'm sorry-"

"Go be sorry somewhere else." Heartfilia said coldly, interrupting him, "I've seen enough of you to last me the rest of the semester."

Dragneel froze in place, staring at the back of Lucy's retreating form. A maelstrom of all kinds of emotions wreaked havoc inside him, but the one he could feel the most was the anxiety that was slowly manifesting itself into a panic attack.

"Great job being friends there." Erik's voice brought him out of his debilitating thoughts, his eyes finally registering the rather disappointed expression of his roommate.

Natsu had found that very few emotions could outweigh whatever he was feeling at that moment. The one that stood out the most was anger and he focused on exactly that when he saw Loke's shit-eating mug grinning at him when Lucy wasn't looking.

"Motherfucker-"

"Natsu!" Erik warned as he caught the pinket by the arm, pulling him back before he did something stupid.

"Down, boy." Laxus suddenly said, his large hand moving to bonk their PF over the head, "You've fucked up enough for one day. Come on. We got practice."

Teeth grinding, Natsu put so much pressure into balling his fists his fingers almost dug into the skin of his palms. He took a few moments to compose himself before breathing out an explosive gust of a breath. Glancing at Erik, he gave him a short nod before turning on his heel and making for the locker room.

As soon as they were on the court, Natsu forewent any kind of warmups and decided that he needed to vent his system. Erik agreed to lob him a few dimes so they could get their alley-oop game going and the pinket wasted no time abusing the rim.

He charged up from the wing, jumped, caught the ball mid-three-sixty spin and smashed it above the net. He then moved back behind the three point line, spun, and quickly dashed towards the goal again. Launching himself upwards from the free-throw line, he caught the pass mid-flight and tomahawk dunked it with one hand, leaving the entire post shaking to its foundations.

Natsu even went so far as to treating Gray's three as a pass and dunking it.

"Oi!"

"Calm your tits, popsicle. Thought it was a pass."

"The fact that you actually managed to use a high-arching three as a pass is insane." Erik commented, whistling at the sight.

"The fact that you even _thought_ that was a pass is ridiculous." Gajeel added, looking absolutely done with Natsu's crazy superhero-like crap.

"One more." Natsu said, wiping some sweat from his forehead.

Grinning, Erik picked up a stray ball, "Alright. Come on-" He was interrupted when a screeching whistle sounded in the acoustics-rich gym, almost literally making their ears bleed.

"Gather 'round." Jellal instructed as he made his entrance to the court. As he walked slowly, the players on the court noticed that he was followed by someone else – a large figure, about two heads larger than their current coach. Long, slicked back orange hair, sharp black eyes, a seemingly 24/7 expression of seriousness, and a light stubble. He was lean and muscular, had broad shoulders and walked with a certain swagger you'd only see people of success possess.

"Alright." Jellal began once everyone was present and accounted for, "The last leg of the pre-season is almost here. Playoff qualifiers are right in front of us, which means we gotta step up our game." He offered a confident smile, "I'm not gonna beat around the bush and just flat out say it – we've got some new personnel." Turning, he gestured towards the large individual to his side with his hand, "Meet your new head coach – Gildarts Clive."

Everyone – aside Laxus, who was already privy to this large piece of news – took a moment to digest the sudden piece of information. Gildarts' name was what drew the most attention.

"Wait a second here. Gildarts Clive. As in Clive Center? As in _the_ Gildarts Clive?" Erik rapid-fire interrogated the blue haired coach, his eyes almost bulging out of their sockets as he stared at their supposed new head coach, "As in the guy who started FTU's basketball team? The back to back to back _to back_ MVP of the League back in the golden physical era? As in the-"

"Geez, how 'bout you just get on your knees already?" Gajeel grumbled through a groan as Erik just kept trailing on. A good portion of the players agreed. Except for Natsu who had a different thought in mind.

" _Head_ coach?" The pink haired basketball player asked, his eyes narrowing at Gildarts who paid very little attention to the challenge.

"Yes. That's correct. He'll be the guy who'll be coaching you from now on-"

"Where does that leave _you_?" Natsu asked without letting Jellal finish, making eye-contact with their now seemingly _ex_ head coach.

Jellal sighed as he rubbed his temples, _I should've expected this_ , he thought dejectedly. And yet he'd be lying if he said he wasn't trying his best to suppress a smile, "As I was saying before I was so _rudely_ interrupted, we have a new head coach. I'll still be here doing what I've always done but everything will have to go through Mr. Clive. He runs the show now and you'll just have to accept that."

"But why?" Natsu didn't relent, taking a step forward, "We were just fine with you and without him!" He growled, "Who the hell even came up with this?"

"We did." Laxus suddenly spoke up, garnering everyone's attention through a _very_ annoyed sigh that was normally unusual for the stoic Center, "Both Jellal and I have been discussing this and we honestly didn't see any way for this to backfire." He explained, "Coach Clive was coaching us back when we were playing for Fiore's national team. I called him up when I heard he resigned from coaching Crocus and wanted to return home." The blond gave Natsu a light glare which served as a warning – a warning that Natsu obviously took, judging by the very visible cringe the pinket gave off, "He said he'd love to return to his roots, and it would be _utterly unacceptable_ for us to refuse him now."

"And there you have it!" Jellal announced, smiling as he did so, "Now, if you'd be so kind." He said, moving out of the way to give Gildarts some room.

"Gildarts Clive. I'm sure most of you probably know me already but-"

"This is bullshit!" Natsu abruptly yelled, both interrupting Gildarts and making the others want to choke the life out of him.

A long and drawn out pause followed before the new head coach rested his hands on his hips and sighed while shaking his head, "This is how it's going to be, eh?" He mumbled to himself.

Before anyone knew what had hit them, Gildarts gave Natsu such a fierce glare the pinket honestly thought he'd shit his pants, "Five hundred suicides, Dragneel. _Now_."

"Wha-" Natsu choked out incredulously, feeling astounded by the order.

"You want to make it a thousand?" Gildarts asked calmly, the strength behind his gaze still very much intact, if not becoming more prominent.

"You can't make me do shit." He argued, doing his best to match the new coach's sternness with a rebelliousness that would've normally only be seen in a teenager and not in a twenty-two year old grown-ass man.

"Oh I sure as hell can." Gildarts stood his ground, "Either you do the thousand suicides, or you're out of _my_ gym. It's your choice." He said adamantly, "The rest of you, begin with a shootaround. Feel free to screen out Mr. Dragneel if he gets in your way."

"Are you fucking serious right now?!" Natsu roared out incredulously, stepping up to the new coach and getting in his face.

There were several things that might have transpired in that singular moment. Some thought Gildarts would fold. Others thought that maybe he'd start arguing with Natsu. What _nobody_ expected, though, was how Gildarts grabbed Natsu by his collar and swung him to the side, getting in _his_ face, "Once. Twice. Thrice. Boy, you use that kind of language _one more time_ and I swear to whatever you hold sacred you'll have to carry your _insignificant_ basketball career to _another_ school." He warned. If the physicality from before wasn't enough to shock the team, this warning definitely was.

"Coach, don't you think that's a bit rough?" Erik voiced uneasily what everyone else was thinking.

Gildarts snorted before smirking, "Hear that, Dragneel? That's fifteen-hundred suicides for you." He said, "Anyone else feel like sharing a useless opinion? No? Splendid." He tossed the flabbergast Natsu to the side before regarding the rest of the players, "I will _not_ have that sort of attitude on my team. Either you bring your A game and give me everything you have no holds barred and without complaining, or you get the hell out of my sight. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes sir!" Everyone present yelled out their consent and moved to grab a ball and commence the prescribed shootaround.

Gildarts looked down to Natsu who was still sitting his ass on the court, looking like he'd just stared a lion in the face, "What are you waiting for? Go do your suicides and don't you even think about touching a ball before you do all of them. I don't care how you feel. If you can't handle that much you aren't going to be able to handle what's waiting for you."

Natsu looked up at him, grit his teeth and growled, "Yes, _sir_." He said, malice and utter contempt in his voice.

"Congratulations, that's two thousand. Keep testing me, Dragneel. I can do this all day."

"Yeah, yeah." Natsu grumbled angrily as he stomped towards the baseline and began doing his _two thousand_ suicide drills. He exploded into a sprint, darted towards the free-throw line on the other side of the court, touched the paint, turned, and quickly sprinted back, then repeat.

"Don't you think you went a little overboard?" Jellal questioned nervously as he stood next to Gildarts who was now observing the players in action.

"On the contrary. I went easy on him." He said, his eyes never leaving the players' forms, "These guys need to learn both respect and responsibility. Respect towards their seniors, and a responsibility towards their assigned tasks. If they don't listen to you during practice how can you expect them to effectively carry out your game plan?"

"No offence Fernandez, but I've seen how you conduct your practice. You let these brats do whatever the heck they want and you call that a suitable tactic. It might have carried you to the finals last year but you, me, and everybody else here knows how that turned out." He said, and frankly Jellal felt as though a dagger had been stabbed into his chest. A dagger which he, however, knew he needed, "That's not going to fly this year. Every other team in the college league has been steadily improving and these guys have just barely managed to trail along. Your tooth and nail game against Eisenwald proved that."

"They need discipline. And the only way we're going to teach it to them is how they learn best – through grueling training that will make them wish they never woke up in the morning." He turned to the bluenet, "Am I wrong?"

Considering his words, Jellal could only hang his head in defeat before smiling, realizing that what the new head coach was saying definitely wasn't wrong, "No. Not at all."

"Great. Now let's see how much Dragneel can take before he buckles."

And he took it alright. About an hour in Natsu was still slaving away to his prescribed suicide drills and it didn't look like he was about to give up anytime soon. In his mind he felt like he had a point to prove, and he wasn't going to go home until he drove it home deep enough that it got social anxiety and never wanted to leave its room.

Sometime during practice, however, Loke had finally decided to show up. Gildarts reprimanded him, saying that he'd only accept this late arrival because it was his first day as head coach. The next late show-up would cost him at least five hundred suicide drills and three hundred pushups – the very thought ran a chill down the blond's spine.

As Loke joined the shootaround, he made it a point to make Natsu's life miserable. Using both irritating quips and annoying remarks, he tried to get under the pinket's skin which admittedly wasn't working. It wasn't until he mentioned Lucy that something actually happened.

After he made a long-range jumper, Loke grinned to himself when he knew Natsu was passing by, "Damn. Drilled that like I'm going to drill Lucy tonight. I can already hear her crying out my name. Loke! Loke- _OOMPFH!_ "

Loke suddenly staggered to the ground as Natsu rammed him with his shoulder full-force as he passed by, intentionally adding more kick to his stride, "You son of a bitch!" Dragneel roared as he grabbed the dazed Loke by his collar and lifted him to his feet. His free hand balling into a fist, Natsu cocked it back and was just about to swing when both Erik and Gajeel grabbed his arm while Gray tried to get him off of the substitute PF.

"Get off him, Natsu!"

"That's twenty-five hundred, Dragneel! Start over!" Gildarts called out, having heard the entire exchange.

"Damn those two…" Jellal groaned before glancing towards the orange haired man, "Sorry about this, they-" He cut himself off, however, when he saw the small speck of a smile on the new head coach's lips.

"Interesting."


	24. Chapter 24

_**A/N:** Y'know, being the designated driver at a party sucks ass. Wanna know what's even worse? Being the designated driver at a family gathering. I swear to God the number of times I wanted my facepalm to actually go through my skull was probably enough for even Mother Teresa to wish I'd've just killed myself._

 _In other news, you're welcome for all these updates. I figure I might as well write during the break so you guys can't say I'm a lazy-ass college senior who makes you wait for two months at a time for an update, huh?_

 _Next one's probably just around the corner, too. This literal black hole in between Christmas and New Years is just such a fucking drag I'd rather do **something** , you know? That and I just platinumed FFXV so I'm clearly bored out of my gourd._

 _Anyway, you know what to do. Cheerio._

* * *

 ** _Hangover_**

* * *

"Cubellios. Redfox. Dreyar. Fullbuster… and Dragneel." Gildarts instructed as his gaze was firmly locked on the clipboard in his hands. He scratched his light stubble, his mind trying to envision the course of tomorrow's game, "That's going to be our starting line-up for tomorrow."

The entirety of FTU's basketball team was lined up in front of the new head coach, the aforementioned five standing at the front, looking around one another as if there was some underlying meaning behind Gildarts' words.

"Don't get too happy." He continued, "New coach means new team. Things aren't going to stay as they were – all of you no doubt know exactly why that is. There are going to be changes and that doesn't exclude the starters." He informed, looking over his five chosen players. His eyes narrowed, "Give me a reason to, and you're benched. That doesn't just include the game tomorrow. Am I understood?"

A cacophony of confirmations sounded from the numerous athletes. From all but one, however. Natsu was too busy in his own thoughts to register what Gildarts said and that hadn't escaped the new coach's attention.

"Oi, Natsu." Erik warned, bumping his roommate's arm with his elbow.

"Huh? Oh… yeah. Got it, coach." He said, slightly startled.

While at first Natsu was extremely apprehensive towards Gildarts replacing Jellal, he had quickly simmered down. Were it any other situation the pinket would have perhaps been vocal a tad longer in terms of voicing his protests for the change. But everyone and their mother knew that Natsu was too busy dealing with other things – namely his whole situation with Lucy.

And as if to cement that fact, the starting Power Forward gave a feral glare to Loke who walked by him with a smirk that told a story of its own.

A sigh left Clive as he shook his head, "You're all dismissed. Get some rest before tomorrow. That includes you too, Dragneel." He added, taking note of the fact that he'd been doing over two thousand suicide drills every single day ever since he took Jellal's position, which would now make it the fifth day straight.

"Right." Natsu said with a nod, proceeding towards the locker room with slow steps. He was indeed feeling the burn from all those drills and that was evident in the very faint limp in his step, but he barely let it get to him. His mind and body had become two separate entities – while the body felt exhausted, the brain didn't let him feel it. It was preoccupied with its own strain and that was because of both the stress and anxiety that came not only from the situation he had gotten himself into but also because of how he tended to overthink things and make them spiral into the worst case scenario.

He hadn't spoken to Lucy after their argument in the cafeteria a couple of days ago. Natsu hadn't even tried to start up a conversation and that was because of the looks she was giving him – or sometimes lack thereof - whenever they passed by each other in the hallways. Loke had undoubtedly told her about how Natsu 'assaulted' him, twisting the story to his own benefit. It left him reeling and made him want to shove Loke's head inside one of those ball-shooting machines and use it for baseball practice. Erik, however, had made it a point to become his conscience in this situation, thankfully for the bench player.

He could handle it though. This wasn't anything Natsu couldn't manage. If he couldn't he would've long since been arrested for attempted murder. What sucked the most about this wasn't the problem itself but rather the fact that the pinket had no quick way of fixing it. Hell, there was no _definitive_ way of fixing it, time be damned. All he could do now was just sit still until it was his turn to play the cards he was dealt. And the way it's been going right now made him think he was playing at a poker table with a thousand other people.

All Natsu could do was wait. Lucy was furious with him and Loke was being an opportunistic ass. Talking to her was futile and putting him in his place was an absolute negative as that would only serve to make Lucy hate him. _If she doesn't already_ , he thought, walking the halls of Clive center looking like a husk of his former self.

"Natsu? You alright?" Dragneel was suddenly woken from his thoughts as he passed by Mest, one of the assistant coaches, without even batting an eye.

"Yeah. Fine." The pinket replied, snorting lightly as he put a weak smile on display.

The senior watched Natsu for a brief few moments before taking the hint, "So… how's the new coach?" He questioned, quickly changing the topic.

"Huh? Oh." Natsu said, having temporarily zoned out of the conversation, "Clive's alright, I guess."

"Alright?" Mest asked with some surprise, blinking dumbly several times, "Natsu, he's made you do a total of _ten thousand_ suicide drills in the span of _five days_. I don't see how that's even remotely alright."

Now that he mentioned it, Gildarts did make him do that much, didn't he? "Oh. Yeah. He's an ass."

"You sure you're alright?" Mest asked again, this time raising a brow at how… _distant_ Natsu was being. It was like his mind was completely out of sync with reality and, while that was usually the case with the pinket, this time wasn't because he was annoyed with the entire world.

"I told you I'm fine. I just…" The PF let a very tired sigh escape him when he couldn't find the words to explain, "I just need some rest, yeah?"

Leaning back in his chair, Mest observed the pinket closely. One of his jobs as an assistant coach was to monitor the players' mental and physical states and report any irregularities. Looking for alcohol and drug abuse was included in the job description, and while it was no secret that Natsu was no stranger to alcohol, this didn't look like that particular case. Mest had no knowledge of Natsu using the latter either – hell, as far as he knew Dragneel was against drugs almost as much as ISIS was against the entire world.

This was something deeper. Deeper than him screwing up in his personal life, too. But as Natsu walked by Mest decidedly chose not to report this to either Gildarts or Jellal. Whatever the problem was, Natsu would find his cure while doing his magic on the court. He always did.

The drive back home was a quiet one as Erik drove Natsu home after practice. The redhead noticed that Natsu seemed out of it more strongly than it was usual for him lately but he decided not to question it. The pinket wasn't someone who liked to talk about his problems to people but Erik was that one exception. Between them there were no secrets, hence why Erik trusted that Natsu could handle whatever was bugging him if he wasn't talking about it.

Natsu decidedly stayed indoors when Erik left for Kagura's place to have dinner with her parents. He did some physical routines to cool off a bit, showered, ate, brushed his teeth, and binge-watched a random TV show on Netflix on the account of being unable to fall asleep. _Again_.

"Sorry, Happy. Guess you're gonna have to deal with me again." He said, chuckling when the blue feline snuggled up to him on the couch.

As soon as the sun crossed the horizon Natsu went to the gym to get some pre-game practice in. The game was in the afternoon, and he swore he was going to pass out from exhaustion if he kept doing nothing and thus oversleep. If Gildarts gave him five hundred suicides just for swearing, Natsu couldn't help but shudder at the thought of what he'd do if one of his starters didn't show up to a game.

Time went by fast as the pinket proceeded with his warmups. When the first few players of FTU's team began showing themselves Natsu went to the locker room to change into his jersey. Gajeel and Gray quickly joined them, followed by Erik and Laxus. Everyone had their game-faces on, feeling ready to battle like they had done so many times in the past. Natsu, however, felt like he was being stabbed in the gut by some annoying fucking cockroach with a butcher knife. It was pissing him off and at the same time it was making him numb to everything emotional and physical.

He didn't even feel anything when he accidentally hit his knee against a bench. Hard.

"Oi, Natsu, you-"

" _Fine._ " The pinket spat at his roommate's question, darting out of the locker room to avoid any unnecessary conversation that he'd already heard over fifty times this past week alone. Why did everybody feel the need to shove their annoyingly curious noses into his business? It was bad enough that _he_ didn't know what the fuck to do and when people battered him with questions it only made matters worse. Frankly, he was done with all of it. All he wanted was to get some peace and quiet – maybe pass out on a couch for some much needed shut-eye.

Natsu stopped near the players' entrance to the court and his team quickly gathered there after him. Gildarts and Jellal showed up, gave them instructions and a few warnings about the opposing team, and a few moments later the team was already walking towards center-court. Some of the players waved to the endless cheers of their fans that came to watch what would undoubtedly be another spectacle of a game. Natsu, on the other hand, had his head down as he walked behind Erik, pacing his breathing and trying to psych himself up – something which, sadly, wasn't working all that well.

The new head coach's scrutinizing gaze was on the pinket as the starting five of both teams lined up on either side of the court and waited for the introductions to pass. He was pacing on his feet, his head slumped down. Gildarts couldn't tell whether Natsu was nervous or whether it was something else. He had a pretty good picture of what was going on in the pinket's life and he was sure it would affect his game. How much, however, was anybody's guess.

They got into a circle, "We treat this like any other game – we come in and take care of business." Gajeel, their captain, instructed, looking and nodding to each of the five.

"Gotta give these fans a show, right?" Erik mused, smirking.

"Got that right. On three. One, two." The red eyed PG began.

"F-T-U!" The five of them chanted in unison and moved to take their positions on court with the chants of their fans.

Natsu's eyes scanned the crowd as Laxus took up position in the very middle, getting himself ready for the toss-in. A lot of people were expecting another phenomenal game from him – some of them even expected him to vent the frustration he felt after 'breaking up' with Lucy, or so Lisanna had told him.

He felt a cold shiver run down his spine. Never in his life did Natsu have stage-fright and yet now that he found himself under so many scrutinizing gazes he began feeling as though he wanted to vomit.

When he witnessed a female with beautiful golden hair, however, he realized he had it backwards. It wasn't because so many people were observing him, no. It was because the one person who was supposed to and usually did acted as though he didn't exist.

The whistle signaling the start of the match startled the pinket and he was barely able to catch the ball Laxus sent his way before it hit him square in the face. He clicked his tongue when he almost took a step forward and got called for a travel and tossed the ball to their Point Guard, Gajeel, who almost fumbled as a result.

"Oi!" Gajeel growled, getting even more annoyed when their Power Forward simply ignored him and went to his mark.

"Damn it, Natsu." Jellal sighed before rubbing the back of his head. Right off the bat Natsu was showing carelessness in regards to team tactics and that was without mentioning the fact that his head seemed somewhere in the clouds. They were supposed to open up with a quick three to spread the court out for Laxus and Erik, also spooking the opposition. Natsu deciding against this changed the very first step of the game, meaning the dominoes would fall in a different direction.

Gildarts paid little attention to that. What did annoy him, though, was the fact that Natsu seemed like he didn't care. He'd watched the recordings of their last games. He knew Dragneel's eyes were always on the ball, always searching for a pass. And unlike all those times Natsu wasn't looking now. He was staring off into space as he stood in front of his mark, not even bothering to take up a decent defensive stance.

They eventually made the shot courtesy of Gray and went back on defense. The team was quick to rally near the rim as the opponents chose the steadfast approach and cut through to the basket. Natsu put up a seemingly very lazy screen as the opponent easily barreled through his shoulders and put in an easy uncontested layup.

The back-and-forth continued with neither team dishing out any flashy plays. Gajeel was beginning to get pissed at Natsu who decidedly always handed him the ball whenever he got it instead of doing something by himself. And while that didn't cause any major damage on offence, per se, it limited their attacking arsenal. Defense was another matter altogether – it was almost as thought it was four-on-five when they got back on D, making even Laxus have a hard time.

Morale was dropping, and Gajeel wasn't the only one who noticed this, "Lion. Get warmed up. You're going in." Loke's eyes widened as he looked at Gildarts who was observing the game.

Natsu breathed out an uneasy gust of a breath when his shot clinked off the rim and was rebounded by the opposing team. He was slow, inaccurate, ineffective, and worst of all his body was working against him. He was getting tired and neither his legs nor his arms moved like he wanted them to. The mental pressure from before hadn't gotten any better either as he knew Lucy had yet to even grace him with a simple look. The fact that his play was simply horrible made things ten times worse.

They were two minutes into the second quarter when Natsu fumbled on receiving a pass. The ball bounced off the side of his bicep and wound up being stolen by his mark who quickly charged in for the runaway dunk. His morale plummeted and he felt his vision darkening due to his anxiety that steadily got worse with each point the opposing team got on their scoreboard. FTU were down by twenty-two and it didn't seem like their drought would end any time soon.

When the whistle sounded, Natsu's eyes widened. He saw Loke standing near the sidelines and he realized that he was about to be substituted. What he felt resembled both a stab to the chest and him swallowing his own tongue as he walked towards their bench.

The pinket would've tried to argue the call. Maybe even defend himself. But in his heart he knew that Gildarts was right to sub him out. Had he stayed on the court any longer their loss would've been guaranteed.

Erik's worried glance was the last thing he saw as he tossed a towel over his head and let his head slump. This was the first time in over five years that he was benched because of his horrible play. And that sparked an emotion in him that he knew all too well.

Anger.

Natsu balled his hands into fists and grit his teeth so hard he felt his gums ache. He didn't know what to feel. Guilt, shame, sadness – all were applicable in this situation. But what was easiest to handle was resentment and anger. Pure unadulterated rage.

He jerked in his seat when he heard a voice. Head rising, his eyes widened when he saw Erik and Loke coming up with a combination play that seemingly kept their team afloat. They went through textbook motions: passing, screening, and an overall play that focused mainly on teamwork. And what he thought was the worst part was that it was working. Slowly FTU was getting back in the game. Granted, they were still massively behind, but Natsu knew it was the start to chemistry.

The nail in Dragneel's coffin was when he heard Lucy's voice urging the team on. Turning to the stands, dread welled up in his stomach when he witnessed her on her feet, spurring the fans on.

It was then that his anger was joined by yet another emotion.

Jealousy.

Just as Loke promised he would, he was taking everything away from Natsu. When the two of them were in high school Loke was his back-up. Even back then Loke fought to take what Natsu made his own. College was no different. As soon as Natsu joined the team late, he took Loke's starting position and made it his own which in the blond's eyes was total humiliation. Ever since then he had made it a point to screw with the pinket in order to destroy everything that he had made for himself.

And now Loke was on the court instead of him. Loke was playing with _his_ friends, _his_ teammates, and was being cheered on by _his_ fans. The people that came to watch _him_ play _his_ brand of basketball. What's worse was that he had trapped Lucy, _his_ girl, in between his twisted little fingers and was using her against him.

The worst part of it all, however, was that it was working. Natsu was losing to Loke and he knew that if he didn't do anything about it he might as well pack his bags and leave like the sorry excuse of a man that he was being.

Natsu felt his rage overflow as he shook in his seat, the knuckles of his fists turning white from the sheer intensity of his strength. There was no way he could let this happen. Not in a million years. There could only be _one_ king on the court and Natsu wasn't about to let some _clown_ take _his_ throne.

" _You're going to_ feel _what you did to our mother, you pathetic excuse of a little brother. I'll make sure of that."_

The fiery haired Dragneel tossed his towel to the side as he stood up, muscles tense, teeth grinding. He walked up to Gildarts who regarded him with an intrigued glance.

"Put me back in there." Natsu ordered with a growl, angered eyes following the opposing players.

 _He's analyzing them_ , Gildarts reasoned inwardly as he investigated Natsu. Sweat covered the entirety of his body and the way he looked with steam coming off his muscles made him look like a feral beast about to rip someone's throat out.

The faintest of smirks made his lips twitch as the head coach called for a substitution.

"It's the last play of the half. You'll have to-"

"I got it."

Natsu stomped over to the line and waited for Loke to come over to switch. The blond pouted just a bit when he realized his time was up and jogged towards their bench, being followed by applause.

He grinned when he saw Natsu and raised his arm for a hi-five. He was surprised, however, when Natsu completely disregarded his existence and bumped him with his shoulder as he walked by. _Hard_.

An indescribable aura fell over the entire gym as Natsu slowly made his way towards where the other players were. The stands were quiet, and the players watched him both worriedly and curiously.

"Oi, pinky! Fuck's sake, man, you-" Gajeel abruptly cut himself off when he realized that Natsu was in fact paying attention this time as, while he wasn't looking at him, he raised his hand for a pass.

Natsu got a feel for the ball as he bounced it along the court. He took his sweet time making his way to the three-point line, all the while being closely defended by the opposing team's PF. He was wary of the pinket and hyper alert of anything he might do. He had a bad first quarter – this was obvious to everyone. But alas underestimating the player who most thought was FTU's x-factor was just stupid.

That, though, still didn't prepare him for what came next. The defender hadn't even noticed when the pinket completely disappeared out of sight.

It felt like Natsu's usual top speed and acceleration suddenly tripled as he darted past his first opponent with ease. While charging past the three-point line he was met with another defender. Eyes narrowing, Natsu used a lightning-fast crossover and switched ball-handling arms. Using both his and his opponent's momentum, Natsu faked a pass to Gajeel so perfectly that even FTU's PG thought the pinket would pass.

Using the created confusion as a mask for his next move, Natsu employed another ultra-fast crossover and blew past the player marking him, forcing him to the ground through breaking his ankles.

Two more players got into position to stop the PF's charge. Expecting this, Natsu used a range of dribble maneuvers to get through, not stopping for even a second. Using his unmatched ability to change his pace as he saw fit, he completely halted his advance for a split second, forcing one of the two opponents to reach in for a supposed steal. Expecting this, Dragneel leaned down and charged forward instead of seeking a reach-in, getting in between his two markers with a three-sixty dribble and barreling past them with relative ease.

Natsu was already in the paint and was met by the opposing center – a large, bulky figure, undoubtedly strong enough to stop most in their tracks. And yet that did very little to hinder the enraged Dragneel who so bravely continued his assault. He jumped towards the rim, going toe-to-toe with the giant of a center without a shred of hesitation.

He was homing in for a block – a block that Natsu saw through a mile away. Using a double clutch, Natsu swung the ball to his other arm, in turn being hit on the shoulder full-force by the center's massive arm when there was no ball there to stop his momentum. Regardless of this, Dragneel was barely slowed by the damage and slammed the ball right into the hoop with such a display of power that the stands went dead-silent.

They landed on their feet moments later and when the whistle was called for the foul against Natsu the pinket roared his dominance to the skies. The fans suddenly came alive and begun cheering loudly enough to deafen the whistles of the referees.

Head held high, Natsu stood in front of the free-throw line, waiting for the referee to give him the ball for the and one. The stands had begun chanting _MVP! MVP! MVP!_ as Natsu tossed the ball, earning FTU another point.

Turning on his heel, he slowly walked back towards their side of the court to get back on D. He noticed Loke's shocked expression as he walked by and he made the motion of casually dusting off the shoulder that was hit.

 _This is_ my _kingdom. Sit your bitch-ass down._


	25. Chapter 25

_**A/N:** Happy New Year's and all that_

* * *

 _ **Hangover**_

* * *

He breathed in.

He breathed out.

His arms were heavy. Legs tired and shaky. And yet as he stood behind the free-throw line Natsu was still able to hoist up that ball and force his shot through the net. He was exhausted, but something drove him forward. No, something was an inaccurate description.

As the ref passed him the ball so he could work to push in the second free-throw, he pondered over his current state of mind. He was angry. Absolutely furious. And as he stood on the court his sneakers had touched so many times, encompassed by the seemingly never-ending roars and cheers of the team's fans, he felt himself begin to sink into a state of superlative consciousness. He could see through himself as though he were swimming in the water of the Maldives.

It was ironic, in fact. He had a completely clear state of mind which was spurred on by a seamlessly uncontrollable rage. And as he looked at himself through a proverbial mirror he realized that it was this same fury that was pushing him forward towards greatness.

It was toxic, but it was working.

 _Add another_ , Natsu thought as he watched the ball go through the net, scoring his thirty-fifth point of the match.

The pinket pushed out an explosive gust of a breath as he turned on his heel and jogged towards their side of the court, his face showing nothing but a stoic expression. No anger, no joy – nothing. He was in the highest state of competition which he wouldn't give away for any amount of money.

This state was his serenity – it was the phenomenon that gave him a foothold on reality and at the same time was keeping his fragile pieces together. It was like the soft embrace of sanity's very welcome arms that he had been missing these past few weeks.

" _Whoa._ " Jellal breathed out as he wrote down Natsu's points on his clipboard, feeling himself delve into astonishment as he realized that he had never before seen such a game from the pinket. Hell, he'd never seen such a performance in a college player altogether. "Thirty-five points, twelve rebounds, _five_ blocks and _nine_ steals."

"One steal shy of a triple-double and there's still half a quarter to go." Gildarts confirmed yet showed absolutely no emotion through neither his facial expressions nor his tone of voice.

That hadn't escaped the former head coach, "Is something wrong?"

The orange haired man hummed to himself, watching as Dragneel got his sixth block straight on D, "How many assists does he have?"

"Uh…" Jellal quickly checked the score count, "Only two. That's…"

"Let me guess… he got them _before_ I benched him."

"Yeah." The bluenet confirmed with a harsh breath. Natsu was indeed performing phenomenally, however his lack of team-play was alarming. He had taken the reigns of a team that had been underperforming and steamrolled into an equalizer through his own skills and sheer willpower. Yet after getting them back into the game their Power Forward looked as though he wouldn't trust anyone besides himself with the ball – something which may cost them not only the game.

"We should bench him." Jellal suddenly concluded, turning to the larger coach for confirmation.

Gildarts hummed before shaking his head, "No." He answered, "Taking him out now may damage the rhythm he's developed for himself and the team. When nobody believed in him, Dragneel spat in their faces and took everything into his own hands. To me it feels like he's trying to prove himself capable. When you put things into perspective, I take it you can imagine what would happen if we took him out now, right?"

 _A likely destroyed morale for the remainder of the season_ , Fernandez concluded mentally, realizing that it was in fact detrimental to take out their star forward who was on fire, "But he's got four _very_ nasty fouls. He might just make things worse for himself."

And as though to reinforce that hypothesis the referees blew their whistle when Natsu smashed his shoulder into an opposing defender – _hard_ – when attempting to get past him, effectively getting charged with his fifth foul. Natsu clicked his tongue in annoyance as he raised his hand, admitting to the foul and at the same time keeping a few particularly dirty remarks for both the opponent and the referee to himself.

"That shouldn't be a problem." Gildarts commented, drawing some surprise from the tattooed coach.

"Are you-"

"Look at him." He suddenly interrupted, "Does he look worried to you?"

"No… but-"

"When you get your fifth and are one away from fouling out – I don't care how confident or good you are, you _always_ get worried. That's because you're never sure how the game is going to go, what direction it might take. Especially in the situation we're in. We're almost at the end of the game, and the way everything is looking we're likely to reach overtime – _no one_ wants that. Thus we foul to set the stage for a play that's gonna get us ahead. You never know when that'll happen. On D, on offence – it doesn't matter. It's a spur of the moment decision that you _know_ you have to make when you make it in order to win."

Jellal scratched the back of his head, feeling confused, "And that makes sure Natsu doesn't foul out _how_ exactly?"

"That's exactly it. Somewhere inside him he _knows_ how this game is going to end, that's why he's not worried." Gildarts smiled at Jellal, "You know better than I do when to trust Dragneel. So, what do you think? Is this that moment?"

"You're thinking he'll choose overtime?"

Gildarts snorted, "Really, I feel like I know him better than you do. Tell me, has Dragneel _ever_ been someone to buy himself more time? Or has he pushed himself to the brink of losing consciousness in order to take it all?"

Taking a few moments to ponder over what Gildarts said, Jellal let his head hang in defeat as he chuckled, "Yeah, I suppose you're right."

FTU was on defense, finding themselves glued to the enemy players. It had become an unspoken tactic to keep their defense super tight as they were still several points behind with the game-clock slowly heading towards the final buzzer. If they wanted to emerge victorious they needed to place a twenty-inch steel-plated wall between the enemy team and their hoop.

The opponents tried to scatter them, trying to find any ripples or cracks in their defenses to exploit through quick dribbles and unreadable passing. That was exactly what they were waiting for. As soon as Natsu saw the opposing Point Guard's eyes drift to Erik's mark, he made his move. Just as he had thought, he passed, and Natsu was in the right place at the right time to push his hand in front of the ball's trajectory.

Dragneel managed to deflect the ball towards the enemy basket and made a beeline towards it. Regardless of the fact that the pinket held the ball and thus had to bounce it against the wooden tiles of the court in order to avoid a travelling foul, his top speed never wavered. He had gotten ahead of the enemy D before they even had the time to take up positions and jumped, roaring as he scored yet another dunk, almost ripping the rim off in the process.

The stands came alive once again, and through a split-second ripple in his focus Natsu's eyes darted to Lucy. A smile came over him when he realized that she was there, cheering them on too. He had no idea whether it was because he scored or _the team_ did but frankly he didn't even care. Just knowing that she wasn't being petty was enough.

"A trip-dub. Nice." Laxus commented when Natsu got back to their side of the court – a comment to which the reply was a simple nod.

Erik's eyes, however, were focused on something else. He was looking specifically at Natsu's right ankle, which he had noticed a very subtle limp to. This had the redhead worried and he would have likely pried if the opponents hadn't suddenly rushed them. Having been overwhelmed at the split-second counter, FTU found themselves being dunked on fiercely.

Feeling as though he had to repay them, Natsu raised his hand for a pass before he even got to center court, already hightailing it with his top speed. Gajeel had noticed this and as much as he didn't like the fact that Natsu was being a ball hog he knew he didn't have much room to argue. Neither Jellal nor Gildarts said anything about it during the few timeouts they took nor the break between quarters. And as bad as he hated to admit it, if Natsu was on fire FTU's PG knew better than to rely on anyone else.

Cocking his arm back, the red-eyed PG chucked the orange ball along the entire court in the form of a long-pass. Natsu jumped to his feet to catch it near the three-point line. As soon as he caught it, he landed, and jumped right back up. A total of three defenders leaped up to meet him and raise their arms in the form of a block that completely surrounded the player. The fiery haired PF, however, didn't hesitate in the slightest as he chucked the ball over the rising defense and scoffed when it buzzed right through the net.

They were down by two with the shot-clock evening out with the game-clock.

FTU didn't have any timeouts to give and the opponents could very well let the clock run its course. The home team were at a massive disadvantage as they once again tried to pry the ball out of their opponents' hands, only this time it was made that much more arduous simply based on the fact that their enemy didn't need to score – all they needed to do was hold on to the ball until the few remaining seconds ran out.

Nobody fouled. They decided they didn't need the foul as each and every single FTU player stuck to their mark as though they were their shadow. As the shot clock ran, so did their patience. Eventually Gray joined in a double-team with Gajeel in an attempt to steal the ball – something which successfully prompted a difficult pass from the opponents. Laxus had seen through this and managed to get his hand in the way for a steal.

The observing fans came alive as Erik caught the ball and began a full-speed sprint towards the opponents' side of the court. His eyes scanned the perimeter – the opposing players had already gotten back on D, running as though their life depended on it. Natsu was calling for a pass behind the three-point arc and Gajeel was sprinting towards the hoop.

Cubellios had two choices: pass to Natsu for a risky three that could win or lose them the match or lob it to Gajeel for an alley-oop dunk which could either earn them an and one and hopefully the match or it would push them to overtime, which is assuming their PG could make the dunk. Natsu was being guarded by two defenders, making the shot that he would undoubtedly attempt crazy risky.

Using his better judgment, Erik tossed it to Gajeel.

The pass, however, never found its mark.

Erik's eyes widened in shock when Natsu flew by him in a blur and stole his pass. Bouncing the ball, Natsu faked a pump, took a lightning-fast step back, and jumped backwards. Angling himself in the air into a fadeaway, he used the last of his strength as he threw the ball.

Time seemingly slowed as everyone watched the ball enclose on the hoop. The buzzer sounded before the ball had the chance to hit its goal. And yet when the successful buzzer beater set FTU's victory in stone Clive Center erupted in maddeningly loud chants of victory.

The players on the court, however, weren't. While the opponents were understandably devastated, feelings of pure shock enveloped FTU's players. Wide-eyed and bewildered, all four of them stared at Natsu with disbelief, trying to understand what the hell had just happened. Erik grit his teeth and begun angrily stomping towards the pinket when Laxus stopped him with his arm on the redhead's shoulder.

"Not here." He said calmly as he made his way towards their bench, "Come on."

It took no time at all for the players to return to their locker rooms. Gildarts and Jellal had decided to have the debrief later as both of them knew what was on their players' minds. Jellal had wanted to stay and perhaps mediate the damage but after the head coach stated that everything must run its course the bluenet unwillingly relented.

"What the hell, Natsu?!" Erik growled as soon as the coaches were gone.

"What? We won, didn't we?" Natsu answered with a question of his own, turning to meet his roommate's glare with one of his own.

"You damn well know that's not the fucking problem here!"

A sigh left Dragneel's throat, "What do you want me to say? You want me to apologize?"

"Damn straight I want you to apologize."

"Too bad." Natsu shot back, his eyes narrowing, "Cause I sure as hell won't apologize for your lack of proper judgment."

"You stole my pass!" The redhead yelled as he smashed a locker in with the side of his fist, feeling his blood boiling.

"Oi…" Gray exhaled, feeling the situation gradually getting out of hand. And yet before he could say anything further he was stopped by their red eyed captain who shook his head a negative.

"Because your pass wasn't the right call." The pinket reasoned calmly, turning back to fold his things properly into his bag.

Feeling outraged due to Dragneel's purposeful ignorance, Erik felt his anger overspill as he took three large and angry steps forward, forcefully turned his roommate around and pushed him against a locker hard enough that it bent.

"I was the one making the call. You had no right to overrule that!"

"I was free. Gajeel wasn't. Sure, he probably would've scored that dunk. But there was absolutely no way the enemy team would've fouled and given him a game-winning and one. We would've head into overtime and none of us have any fucking idea how that would've gone considering how bad we sucked ass tonight. I was free. I would've sunken the shot. But because of your fucking indecisiveness I had to do what I did. And let's completely ignore the fact that it made things ten times more difficult for me and I still sunk it."

"I don't need your goddamn excuses. _You didn't trust my call!_ "

"You didn't trust _me!_ " Natsu suddenly roared out, pushing Erik away forcefully when he felt his anger reach its boiling point, "You saw that I was free but you still chose the supposed safer route because you thought I'd buckle under the pressure and wouldn't be able to score! What? Was it because you thought my fuck-up with Lucy would screw my game up? Is that it?"

Erik's eyes widened, "Natsu, I-"

"Save it." The pinket stated, grabbing his stuff after he quickly got dressed, "I'm done."

After Natsu left Erik was left in a daze. He was both angry with himself and his roommate. Indeed he did hesitate because he was worried for Natsu but that didn't give him the right to completely overrule his decision. He was pissed and rationally so. With this one play they managed to break each other's on-court trust and it was driving the redhead mad.

"Damn it!" He roared, smashing his fist into a random locker, completely destroying the small metal door.

Natsu, on the other hand, tried his best to push his thoughts away from that previous situation and simply took the bus home. Letting his phone blare music into his ears through his Skullcandy headphones he breathed out a harsh breath as he felt a sharp sting in his right ankle.

As soon as he got through the door Natsu let his bag drop to the floor and leaned back against a wall, sliding down against it until his behind was on the ground. Breathing rather heavily as he stared at his apartment's ceiling, he let a silent prayer cross through his mind before he took off his shoes and socks.

"Fuck." Dragneel cursed out with a sigh when he noticed how swollen his ankle was. Turning, he opened his mouth and was about to call out when he realized Erik still hadn't come back – and likely wouldn't seeing as how they almost slit each other's throats half an hour ago.

Groaning, Natsu did his best to stand on his feet before slowly limping towards the kitchen, feeling his ankle hurt more and more with each inhibited step. A myriad of thoughts ran through his mind as he fished out a bag of ice from their freezer, however he didn't linger for too long on any of them. He was still experiencing his game-high, feeling himself inside a zone which kept any foreign thoughts at bay strongly enough that it made his anxiety feel like a simple prickle in his chest. It was a reprieve he hadn't felt in a while and he sure as hell wasn't going to let it go now.

Sitting down near the kitchen counter, Natsu gently touched the cold ice to his bloated foot, hissing at the contact and the pain it caused. He had been feeling his ankle acting up ever since that night with Lucy. He could only imagine what he'd done during his black-out and frankly he dreaded the memory. He told himself he didn't need to know.

And yet what actually bothered him was the fact that it begun acting up so bad as soon as he amped his game up. This didn't bode well, neither for him nor his team, especially if they were going to continue with their lackluster performance they displayed tonight.

He was no exception to this and that was perhaps what he hated the most. He needed to improve. Taking it slow wasn't going to cut it anymore.

But at the same time he knew that if he pushed himself too hard he could very well kiss the season goodbye due to the reoccurrence of his past injury.

"A rock and a hard place… again. That's just fucking great."


	26. Chapter 26

_**A/N:** And with that Winter Break is now over. Time went by too quickly. This fucking sucks. I couldn't fill my quota either. I wanted to publish six chapters in the span of three weeks but ended up one short. I could probably write the next one this weekend but frankly I want to get some rest and shit. That or I just want to play games. That's what I get for diving back into Resident Evil. I blame Gabe and his fucking Steam sales. Asshole._

 _Anyway, bad news - school's coming back. You know what that means? Yeah, slower updates. I'll try to write something so I don't have to make you wait two months at a time for an update. And although I say this, I have to stress the word **try** because fuck knows what college has in store, y'know?_

 _By the by, if you have any qualms about the new addition to the story in the later part of this chapter - refer to the status updates in my profile. They're there for a reason, supposedly._

 _Besides that? You know what to do. Imma go to sleep. kthxbai._

* * *

 _ **Hangover**_

* * *

"So… how bad is it?"

"Not necessarily _bad_ , per se."

"The hell does that mean?" Natsu tossed his head back and hissed furiously when his swollen ankle had been unwelcomely turned to the side. He tried pacing his breathing as the pain coursed through his leg and made him cringe and writhe on the medical exam table his ass was propped on.

"Does that hurt?"

"No, it's giving me an orgasm. What do you think?"

The man sitting in front of Natsu snorted in light amusement as he inspected his outstretched swollen foot. It had gotten slightly worse from the night before as it was now more bloated and sore than ever. When the pinket woke up and could barely stand on both feet it got him worried. The memories of what happened last season decidedly forced him to skip all of his classes in order to make time to go to the local clinic where the team's doctor – a large man by the name of Warrod Sequen – worked.

"And this?"

"Are you _trying_ to have me kick you in the face?" Natsu groaned out when the white-coat wearing individual twisted his ankle at a different yet all the same very awkwardly hurting angle, "Pretty sure I can still knock a tooth or two out even with a screwed up foot."

"Hey, you came to me. No whining now." Warrod warned before he leaned back in his chair, sporting a thoughtful expression on his features, "Is this the result of last night's game?"

"Can we skip the lecture, please?" Dragneel quickly shot back, rolling his eyes at the light glare the medical worker gave him, "Just tell me if I can keep playing."

"You obviously can't." Warrod said adamantly and the answer he got from the pinket was a very loud and overdramatic groan.

Natsu fell back onto the exam table and covered his face with his forearms, "Great. Just effin' great."

"You haven't even heard the actual diagnosis yet."

"What other diagnosis is there besides a fucked up foot?!" Natsu exclaimed suddenly, throwing his arms up in the air in defiance.

"The one where this isn't a reoccurring injury." The fiery haired Dragneel's eyes widened and he leaned up to stare at the medical worker in shock.

Warrod held up an x-ray image of Natsu's appendage in front of a lamp, scratching his large square chin as he examined it, "Your injury from last year was a fractured ankle. This x-ray is from this morning. Take a look at the bone." The man said, pointing to certain spots on Natsu's ankle, "It's still healed up fairly nicely and thankfully doesn't look like it sustained any damage from whatever you put it through."

"So, uuh…" Natsu paused, feeling confused, "So what the hell is this?"

The doctor gave him a blank look, "A simple sprain." He said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

If Natsu had ever in his life felt a stronger sense of relief than he did now he couldn't remember it even if he tried. It was difficult to even describe. Relief, joy and a clear conscience were part of the ingredients for the current cocktail of emotions swimming within him for sure. There were other sensations as well but those three were the ones he could distinguish the most and frankly they were the only ones he really cared about.

"Wait, so what was that _you obviously can't play_ stuff if my foot's fine?"

"Of course it's not _fine_ , you moron." The older male deadpanned as he slapped the offending appendage lightly, almost making Natsu's eyes bulge out at the sudden surge of pain he felt reverberate all throughout his frame.

"Motherfu-GAH!" He shrieked out again when Warrod twisted his ankle to the opposite side in order to get a better look at it.

"While this isn't your previous injury springing up, a sprain like this is nothing to laugh at. Push it too far and the underlying condition might actually show itself again." The doctor explained, taking out a piece of paper and a pen from his white coat, "Take a couple of personal days to let the ligament piece itself back together and you should be fine. I'll give you an ibuprofen prescription – I'm sure bed rest isn't a term in your vocabulary so this should help out with the pain a bit. Take one every four or six hours, depending on how bad it hurts."

"Gee, thanks." Natsu breathed out, taking the signed prescription from the doctor, "You gonna tell Jellal?"

Warrod sighed as he slid to his desk on his office chair, signing a few forms for Natsu's check-out, "Do I have to?"

"Do you?"

"Well, I'm either your doctor, which implies doctor-patient confidentiality, or I'm the team's doctor, which means I have to explicitly inform your coaches of your condition. Ethically I should report this. Legally I can do either."

"You mind going the legal route? You know… cause otherwise I might sue?"

The medical worker gave a sharp _hah_ as a response before turning to Natsu, "You sure you don't want to tell them? I mean, we all remember last year-"

"I'm sure, doc." Natsu stated as he pulled a compression wrap over his right ankle, " _Because_ of what happened last year Jellal would bench me for the rest of the season if he so much as suspects that my injury might come back."

"And it wouldn't be the wrong decision either."

"How the hell would it not?"

Warrod rubbed his temples tiredly, "Listen. I know you're the type who pushes himself beyond comprehension, yeah? But you have to realize that despite you having the mentality of some kind of monster your body is still very much human – just as likely to get injured as anyone else's. Sure, your physical preparation helps, but you aren't invincible." He explained, "Push yourself too far and you might very well kiss not only the season but your career goodbye."

This time it was Natsu's turn to sigh, "I know, doc. Trust me, I know." He admitted, placing an ankle brace over the compression wrap, "I'll… yeah, I'll take it easy for a few days. That sound good to you?"

"Honestly I think some rehabilitation would also be-"

"Don't push it." Natsu warned, making the older male chuckle, "Besides. After last time I'm doing all I can to make sure my foot's okay."

"Yeah. I can see that. You know, besides the fact that you actually came for a check-up." Warrod said, pointing to Natsu's right foot which after putting on the compression wrap, the ankle brace and the woolen sock made Natsu look like Bigfoot.

"Hurts less." The PF admitted as he carefully got to his feet, wincing slightly when he accidentally put more weight than he intended on his right foot. Composing himself, he turned to the doctor, "We done here?"

"Unless you need something else I'm pretty sure we're done."

"Got it. Thanks, doc."

"And Natsu?" Warrod called before Natsu went out the door, prompting the pinket to turn to him curiously, "Give your pops a call, would you? Metalicana won't-" He cut himself off when Natsu rolled his eyes and left, abruptly shutting the door behind him. The doctor scoffed and chuckled, in that order, "Some things never change."

Natsu fixed his scarf and his beanie before zipping up his jacket and heading outside the local clinic. It was late winter but a surprising influx of snow coated everything the eye could see. The sun was out and there wasn't a single cloud darkening the light blue sky above.

The basketball player took a deep inhale of a breath and exhaled a puff of steam. It was still cold but whereas normally that would've irked him this time Natsu found that it was a good means of clearing his head. He took his time to limp over to the bus stop, at the same time pulling out his phone and speed-dialing.

"Hey Jelly. Yeah, I'm fine. Just needed a breather from everything. You know how it goes." He explained, stepping into the bus after it halted by him, "Listen, I'm going to take a short break from practice. A day or two, at the most. Huh? Oh, no… no. I'm fine. Nothing to worry about."

He suddenly frowned, "Say… did Erik say anything? You didn't talk? Oh… okay. Right. You too. Let me know how practice goes, alright? I bet I'm going to be running suicides till I drop dead next time I show up." He chuckled," Yeah. Got it. Later."

When Natsu got back home after he got his prescribed drugs from the pharmacy he kicked his shoes off but left all the under-armor on his ankle. He went to the kitchen, filled Happy's bowl up with cat food, and turned to the fridge. Opening it, the pinket frowned when he realized they had no more proper food left. Normally Erik would be the one to go to the store and grab their groceries, especially since Natsu was supposed to be out of commission, but as it stood now he knew that wasn't going to happen. The redhead hadn't returned ever since yesterday, nor did he let Natsu know where he was staying. Although deducing that he was crashing at Kagura's wasn't that difficult, Natsu still thought he could've left some kind of memo.

Scratching the back of his head, Natsu went back to the living room and plopped down on their couch. He grabbed the TV remote and surfed the channels, feeling his stomach growling. The thought of actually going to the store crossed his mind for a split second… until he stumbled on a Thai food delivery ad. It was a new place that opened somewhere downtown and promised a coupon for a free order if the delivery guy couldn't manage to get it to him within the hour. Humming to himself, he memorized their number and gave them a call.

About half an hour later Natsu was already handling a pair of chopsticks and slurping on some noodles on his couch, browsing Netflix in order to find something to keep him preoccupied while he ate. When he realized that absolutely nothing interested him he turned on _The Rise of Thadland_ , a spin-off movie for one of his favorite TV shows, _Blue Mountain State_.

It wasn't the same though. BMS was a TV show that he and Erik watched together for the shits and giggles. Natsu would bitch about how annoying Thad was and Erik would piss him off using Thad-level intelligence jokes. Natsu would completely agree with Alex's approach to life and Erik would give him shit for being a lazy ass underachiever. Natsu would cringe at Sammy's antics and Erik would compare the two of them. It was a type of ritual they shared and watching the show by his lonesome self actually made Natsu feel somewhat dejected.

"Oh for fuck's sake…" Natsu slumped down on his couch, tossing his chopsticks into an empty Thai food box, "What is he, my girlfriend? This is stupid."

Natsu turned the TV off and went to his own room. Momentarily his eyes fixated on the last picture Lucy had sent him before… well, _that_. It was the one where they kissed under the fireworks of New Year 's eve. How she'd gotten ahold of it was beyond the pinket, but he had framed it nonetheless. It was lying on his desk, placed right next to the picture of his parents, Atlas and Metalicana.

The sight of the frame brought a myriad of emotions to the forefront of Natsu's being, but he quickly and decisively swallowed them down. He was already feeling plenty shit; he didn't need another mistake hovering over him like an annoying black cloud. With that thought in mind he flipped the frame over on his desk so it lay down face-first and booted up his desktop.

The first thing he did was start up the new game he bought – _DOOM_. It wasn't exactly new but then again a lot of things he bought on a whim weren't. Natsu just never really kept up with trends. Regardless of that it was a fun fuck-everything-up-in-a-badass-type-of-way kind of game which helped Natsu pass several hours of time. Not to mention the fact that the soundtrack was absolutely awesome. The next time he checked his phone about three hours had already passed and he was well into the evening.

He was getting bored. Bored enough he actually wished Erik came back so they could punch each other in the face – at least that would be more entertaining than staring at your room's ceiling all night long. Realizing that he needed a change of pace, Natsu went to his dresser to fetch a fresh pair of clothes. Just as Warrod had said, he really didn't know what bed rest meant.

Carefully he slipped into a new pair of jeans, a shirt, hoodie, and pulled his socks on. Turning to the hallway countertop he grabbed the ibuprofen he had left there. Shoveling a single pill down his throat he sat down, carefully pulled his Jordans on, slipped into his parka and fixed his scarf and beanie up.

Natsu checked his phone after locking the door behind him and slowly made his way downstairs. It was eight o'clock and a Tuesday, _it shouldn't be too crowded…_ , he thought, nodding to himself as he followed the route he had taken so many times in the past, huddling up in his warm parka for some kind of reprieve from the gradually picking up icy winds.

About ten to fifteen minutes later Natsu found himself in front of his previous place of employment – _Eclipse_. Waving a hello to the bouncer standing outside, he curiously went in, realizing that the place was surprisingly packed.

"Good evening, sir! Are you here to- oh, Natsu!" Blinking, the fiery-haired man turned to attention where he saw Yukino acting as a welcoming face, "It's been a few weeks." She smiled warmly at him.

"Yeah… it has, hasn't it?" He smiled back. While by any normal standards two or three weeks wouldn't be considered a long period of time between bar visits, Natsu was the type of guy who would hit the place up every other day after he quit working there. And if it wasn't a recreational visit, it would either be to help one of the barmaids out or vice versa.

Frankly this place was like a second home to him. He loved the atmosphere, he loved the music and he loved the people. Eclipse was the type of place he could just spend time in without even doing anything and he would still likely enjoy it. Which was why this worked perfectly for his current predicament – he was in pain, lonely and bored. If that didn't warrant a visit, Natsu couldn't tell what did.

"What's going on here, anyway?" The pinket suddenly asked, noticing the strange division between the female and male categories of clients. The women were all seated in front of numbered tables – one table per woman. The men were all standing near the bar, each having a number assigned to them.

Numbers which he realized the younger Agria was handing out to newly arrived men and directing any approaching women to unclaimed tables.

"It's a speed dating service!" The white haired barmaid explained, chuckling at the way Natsu raised a reproachful brow.

"Speed dating. _Speed dating._ " He repeated, bringing a palm to his face, "Seriously?"

"Yup." She confirmed, "The men get five minutes at the table they get assigned. After their time's up they move up by a seat and so forth. After a full rotation the women write down the names of the men they'd like to meet in the future and we inform said men of this. Sounds fun, doesn't it?"

"…who the hell comes up with this crap?"

"Ul did."

"Bullshit."

A sharp and short laugh came from the approaching Sorano, Yukino's elder sister, "You'd be surprised, pinky. She's been weird lately."

"How weird?"

Sorano hummed as the two of them moved aside and leaned against the bar to let the younger sibling welcome new people, "You know how most people go through sex binges, right? What am I saying, _of course_ you do." She grinned when Natsu grimaced and rolled his eyes, "In her case she's trying to become like the guru of getting people to hook up or something. I swear it's creeping even me out." Sorano leaned in closer, "She tried to get me to hook up with _Mest_ , for Heaven's sake." She hissed in a hushed tone, glaring at Natsu who snorted with amusement.

"I'd pay to see that." He said, chuckling when the barmaid bumped his arm with her elbow and gave him a light glare.

"What brings you tonight, Natsu?" Ikaruga suddenly popped out of nowhere, offering the pinket a lazy salute, "You here for the dating game?"

"Hell no. Not in a million years." Natsu quickly replied while shaking his head a negative, "I was bored and figured I might as well hop in here. Had I known this bullshit was going on I would've just re-binged _House M.D._ or something on Netflix."

"Oh come on, don't be like that." The pink haired female snickered, "Ultear took so long setting this up. You might as well humor her."

"Yeah and it's completely counter-productive."

"How so?"

"Because this is nothing but a beauty pageant?"

"Are you saying personality doesn't matter?" Sorano asked, joining in on the conversation.

"Not in a bar it doesn't." He reasoned, "Look, five minutes of talking isn't going to do squat. If you got the looks you're pretty much set up for a lay. Not sure why you would even need something like this here, of all places. Just give the guys some drinks to calm their virgin nerves and you have an orgy on your hands. Hell, I could probably act like a total douche and I'd still score."

"That last part's actually a proven fact." Sorano said.

"Oi." Natsu replied.

Ikaruga suddenly hummed, forcing Natsu to feel some form of dread well up within him when he noticed how she was looking at him. Like she oftentimes did she was about to propose something that was both outrageous but also difficult to refuse, "You willing to put your money where your mouth is?"

" _No._ " Natsu suddenly fired, turning his backside to the female in favor of leaning back against the bar.

"A hundred bucks says you can't score at least ten names." She said, prompting the basketball player to suddenly freeze in place. Slowly, he turned around, his curiosity having been piqued.

"Now you're just throwing your money away."

"The catch here, though, is that you can't be all flirty. Just be an ass. You know, how you usually are."

"Oh wow, thanks Ruga. That's real sweet of you."

Ikaruga giggled, "Might as well show your current colors without trying to be someone else, am I right? Besides, after the whole Lucy thing I'm pretty sure you could use some contact, if you know what I mean."

Natsu raised a brow, "You know?"

"Erik told us." Sorano stated, forcing a sigh out of the PF.

"Chicken shit can't keep his mouth shut to save his life." He said, "Yeah, no. I'm not sure I'm ready for that yet."

It was the white haired female's turn to frown this time, "What's the big deal? You two broke up – move along. There are more fish in the sea. You of all people should know that."

"Well, yeah, but…" He groaned and ran a hand over his hair, "I don't know. I just can't seem to get over her. Shit, I don't think I even _want_ to."

"In any case." Ikaruga suddenly chimed in before her coworker had the chance to demotivate Dragneel any further, "You never know, this might just help with your mood. You don't really have to hook up with anyone. Just talk to them. I'll get some money out of it and you might just have some fun before getting robbed."

Sorano shrugged, "It can't hurt, right?"

Taking a few moments to ponder over the offer, Natsu scanned both females' faces. He soon realized that they were in all actuality trying to get him to feel better. Whether doing it in such a way would work or not, though… that remained to be seen.

"No, I guess it can't." Natsu admitted, "Fine. I want to buy a new game anyway. That hundred bucks would sure help."

Both females snorted, " _Boys._ " They said in unison. Afterwards Sorano called over her younger sister and grabbed one of the numbers she was giving out. "Here. This is specially for you." She said, chuckling when she pinned the number 69 on the left side of his chest.

"Typical."

"Love you too, pinky."

Despite feeling as though this was all a colossal waste of time, Natsu went over to line up with the rest of the hungry males by the bar. He made eye-contact with a surprised Ultear for a few mere moments, the female smiling and nodding at his presence. She took several minutes to explain the general rules of the event before ringing the drum which normally signified that someone was buying shots for the entire bar.

The men took this as their cue for mission start and each went over to their assigned tables. Eyes lifting, Natsu scanned the perimeter for his first target and upon finding her he sat down at her table.

"Hi." She smiled at him playfully, resting her head in her palm. _Red hair, clearly dyed. Several piercings – one on her eyebrow. A tattoo on her wrist, some kind of bird. No doubt she has more. Puffy jacket, mini-skirt, fishnet leggings, heels… huh. Okay, I can work with that,_ "Jacklyn."

"Natsu." He said as he leaned back, portraying nothing but an air of indifference.

"So… what brings you here?"

"Uuuh… it's a speed dating thing. What do you think?"

Natsu could tell his light use of sarcasm caught her somewhat off-guard. In all honesty who would expect someone to be an ass right off the bat in this type of event? Then again the pinket could tell she wasn't out of the game just yet.

"You just don't look like the type to be in one of these things is all I'm saying."

" _Clearly_. What, did my sunny disposition give it away?"

"…why are you here again?"

He sighed, "My friends made me. Satisfied? I don't even really need to ask why you're here. What is that, your fifth drink since you came here? I know it's free drinks for participants, but _damn_. Who dumped you?"

If last time she had been caught off-guard, this time it felt like Natsu used one of those Glory Kills you'd see in _DOOM,_ AKA ripped her arm off and beat her to death with it, "You're getting drunk; you're dressed like a slut. Obviously you're trying to get laid with whatever decent-looking schmuck comes your way. So either you were dumped and you're trying to get back your self-confidence or you're just on a sex-binge because considering how trashy you look this isn't your first night out this week. Then again it doesn't really matter to me either way."

"You're an ass."

"People have been telling me that more often lately. Is this the part where I get an epiphany? Cause I'm getting no reception here." He concluded with a shrug… only to later raise a curious brow when the female giggled at his last remark.

"A smartass to boot." She said, her playful smirk returning.

 _Mavis, what have I gotten myself into? Well, on the bright side, at least that's one._

What Natsu thought to be an utter stroke of luck occurred when Ultear hit the drum, signaling that he now had to finish the conversation and deviate to another table. Standing up quickly, Natsu found his mark and made his entrance. This one was a brunette, looking somewhat like an office lady with her all official-like get-up which made the pinket raise a brow.

As soon as he sat down Natsu could easily tell this was going to be one of the dullest conversations of the night. She barely spoke to him – hell, she barely even made eye-contact. Truth be told he couldn't really see how a woman of seemingly high-esteem could possibly click with a rambunctious basketball player such as himself. The first two or so minutes were spent within a very awkward silence when Natsu finally had enough and decided to 'break the ice,' looking at this very literally as in his mind he pictured her as a certain teammate.

"So, does miss stuck-up have a name or will I have to take that stick out of your ass first?"

Suffice it to say the conversation didn't start _or_ end well.

"Yeah, uuh... can the five minutes be over now, please?"

A hit of a drum later Natsu was already at another table. This one was a blonde which was too obviously into him with her first glance. If her dreamy eyes told him anything, that is.

"You have nice hair." She said.

"You have… uuuh… large hips?" He replied. Under different circumstances Natsu would've definitely held his tongue or at least cringed when he realized what he had said. Now, however, his reaction was clearly derived from hers.

"I, uuh… I guess I could lose some pounds, yeah." She replied.

… _is she fucking serious?_

He moved on to the next one, "So, what do you do?" She asked.

"Oh… I play video games. Yeah." The pinket said, yawning.

"Like, professionally?" She was clearly not at all distracted by his indifference.

"Yeah, totally. You wouldn't believe how competitive _Minecraft_ can get."

"What's the game about?"

"The basic premise is that you have to dig a hole until you reach lava and then die through arson. The first one to bite the ashes wins. You wouldn't believe how huge those tournaments get."

She giggled, "Sounds like fun."

… _I'm so done._

Next, "You play basketball?"

"What gave it away?" Natsu asked.

"Your height."

"So, what, every tall guy has to play basketball?"

"The majority do, right?"

 _Mavis, help me._

Next, Natsu was the first to go this time, "Hi. Natsu. Twenty-two. I play basketball. Hope to get drafted when I graduate."

"Taking speed dating literally, are you? Okay… Bethany. Twenty-four. I work at a pharmaceutical company downtown. Hope to one day open up my own private clinic."

 _Oh, hey, a smart one this time. Okay…_

"Basketball… I liked watching it with my friends back in college." She suddenly paused, smiling at him, "I really hope Ronaldo gets picked for all-star weekend this year."

Natsu blinked, feeling confused, "Ronaldo? Ronaldo as in…?"

"You know. Cristiano Ronaldo?"

The pinket reasoned that the facepalm which followed was likely his most expressive to date.

 _Fuck this._

After that last one the pinket had been _extremely_ distant for a while; one girl actually asked him if he needed to go to the hospital. Then again he rather quickly got back in and continued with the entire event.

Some conversations were dull, others mildly exciting. Often Natsu acted like an ass, often indifferent. Most girls didn't seem to mind either with the exception of a very few. Sometimes, however, he would find a girl he not only could hold a conversation with but actually enjoyed it as well. Considering the setting he found it strange. Very few self-respecting girls would go to such a dumb excuse of hooking up rather than actually walking up to talk to someone. Frankly this was nothing more than a vanity fair.

He wasn't about to say that to Ultear's face though. He still wanted to live at least a couple of years.

"How'd it go?" Ikaruga questioned as Natsu approached the bar after everything was said and done. She noticed how devoid of life the pinket seemed and as a result couldn't help the amused smile that crept up her features, "Any poor soul decide to act out and slap our beloved Mr. Assneel?"

A snort was her reply, "We'll see when the results come in."

"You got the hundred on hand?" She asked, grinning.

"You got enough tips to pay the bills after I win?" He shot back, glaring at her with one eye open.

Afterwards Ikaruga, per Natsu's surprising request, poured him a glass of ice water with some lemon and later went back to work. Natsu found it amusing how a lot of the guys – and girls, mind you – were now crowding the bar and making Eclipse's business flourish, no doubt already anticipating their broken hearts.

Too busy in his own mind Natsu hadn't even noticed when someone came to stand next to him, leaning against the bar, "Tall, handsome, witty – sarcastically so, might I add, and has the nards to show it. Clearly disinterested in the whole concept of a speed date, yet still here." The pinket blinked several times when the newly arrived female to his side spoke up, calling his attention.

"And you decided to come up and describe my absolutely _dashing_ personality why exactly?" He asked without bothering to look, feeling thoroughly done with meeting new people after what he'd just gone through.

"Properly coming up to talk to people should be the norm, right?" She said, making him pause for a second, "It's obvious that you think it should be. Struck me as odd that you were even here."

Finally finding it in himself to regard her properly on the account of feeling rather pleasantly surprised, Natsu was practically taken aback at the sight. She was about 5'6, fair-skinned, buxom and slender at the same time, possessing an hourglass figure that would frankly do it an injustice if dubbed eye-candy. She had medium-length cropped wavy blonde hair that fell just a bit over her large eyes that were a few shades darker than brown. Combine those attributes with her facial features and her obvious skill with light make-up and Natsu felt like he was staring at a supermodel. _What the fuck is she doing here_ now _and how the fuck did I not notice her_ before _?_

Not only did she seem like she could prove to be a decent conversationalist – which admittedly was still up for debate - she also had the looks that put her so out of place here Natsu thought he'd temporarily gone senile.

"Take a picture, it'll last longer." The blonde said, making Natsu realize he was staring.

"Cute." He said, snorting.

"You didn't answer my question." She pushed, taking a sip out of her Cuba Libre as she did so.

"Got myself into a bet… which I _will_ win, by the way!" He answered, scoffing when he heard Ikaruga shouting a _keep dreaming, darling!_ from the other side of the bar.

"Oh? What stakes?"

"Hundred bucks said that I apparently can't get ten of them hooked."

She gave a sharp _hah_ , "Considering how you acted your budget just went up."

Something begun prickling at the back of his head when she said this, "Wait, were you stalking me or something?"

"Not exactly." The blonde replied with a chuckle, "I was in the contest myself. Just felt bored, you know? Anyway, it was kinda hard not to notice someone sitting right in front of you."

"Bullshit." The basketball player suddenly said in disbelief, "You telling me I was right in front of you and I just magically _didn't_ see you?"

"You kind of… how do I put this… slammed your head against the table, said you were done with life and sort of passed out?" She said, making him facepalm at the memory, "I wasn't really sure where I was supposed to go with that. _Hi… um, yeah. We can be done with life together?_ "

Natsu reared his head back and laughed, "You could say I was worried stupidity was contagious? Thought I'd rather sit still than risk the CDC quarantining this place after I accidentally infected you."

"Oh how absolutely kind of you. How'd that happen, anyway?"

"The girl I talked to before you thought Christiano Ronaldo was going to be in the all-star weekend?"

He couldn't help the grin that surfaced on his face when the female almost choked on her drink and began laughing madly. You know that feeling when something is so utterly stupid the only feasible response is laughter? Yeah.

"You play?" She suddenly asked.

"College league. Yeah. Why're you asking? And please don't tell me it's cause of my height." Natsu replied with a question of his own.

"The brace on your right foot is a dead giveaway." She said, surprising him a bit.

"… _how_?"

"Why would someone who doesn't play have such an expensive brace?"

He hummed, "Alright, fair point. I'll give you that."

"How bad is it?"

"The injury? Not so bad. Just a simple sprain, apparently."

"Yeah. People usually wear braces like that daily for _simple_ sprains." She said, mimicking quotation marks with her hands.

"Maybe I'm just paranoid, you never know." He said, chuckling into his glass as he took a gulp of icy cold water, "Just worried it might set off my previous injury. Same foot. Same place."

"Can't blame you for being worried then, huh?" The blonde said, "What was the last one?"

"Geez, why does this feel like an interrogation?"

The woman suddenly burst out laughing, "Sorry. Old habits." She said, waving him off and making Natsu quirk a curious brow, "I'm a cop. Recently got relocated to the MPD from Crocus."

Suddenly and _very_ overdramatically Natsu held up his hands as though he were at gunpoint, "Whatever it is I'm about to be arrested for was probably- no, _definitely_ Gray's fault. He's the one you want, not me!"

"Oh shut up." She hissed while laughing, trying to keep him from drawing any more attention to her than he already had, "Last thing I need is people staring at me cause I'm a cop."

"Also a fair point." The pinket said, snickering, "People do dumb shit at bars. That's part of the fun. Having the law over here would be such a buzzkill."

"Exactly." She smiled, "Who's Gray, anyway?"

"A grade A douchebag. Trust me, you don't want to know."

The woman snorted, "Okay, I'll take your word for it."

They took a few moments of silence. A few moments which Natsu found curiously awkward and, well, unwelcome. This was the one decent conversation he's had all night. Letting it go down the drain – on account of Gray, no less – was something he had a feeling he'd regret later on.

"It was an ankle fracture." The pinket suddenly said, drawing the attention of the blonde back while he stared off somewhere into the distance. Memories of last year's loss replayed themselves in his mind, making the player wish he wasn't on a complete alcohol block.

"How bad?"

"Bad enough I would've been benched for the entire season." Natsu admitted, a sigh leaving him, "It was in the finals though. I had the summer and then some to piece my foot back together."

She didn't reply. Whether she didn't know what to say or was keeping quiet to mind her own business Natsu couldn't tell. Then again it didn't really matter to him either way. He was honestly just enjoying the dialogue they were having. Ever since his cataclysmic fuck-up it had been some time since somebody _wasn't_ worried or taking pity on him. Honestly this felt like a breath of fresh air which he couldn't really complain about.

"How's your crossover?" She suddenly asked, surprising him.

" _Really_?" He deadpanned, "I just told you we were in the finals and you ask me _that_?"

"Hey, you might just be a good for nothing who's always on the bench. How am I supposed to know?"

"Yeah, no. I'm a starter."

She hummed this time, "A starter on a finalist team. Impressive."

"Why thank you."

"What position?"

"Power Forward. Yeah, yeah. I know that's unusual when you consider my height. Don't give me that look." Dragneel grumbled, eliciting a giggle from the female.

"Did you win?"

"Naw. Lost by a mile."

"Oh. Sorry."

Natsu scoffed, "Save that sorry. We'll win this year."

"Confidence. Nice."

The conversation went on a pause again. This time, however, Natsu was quick to thwart it.

"So tell me," He began, "why would somebody such as yourself want to transfer to a beautiful backwater like Magnolia?"

The blonde woman hummed as she contemplated her answer, "Family, I guess you could say?"

"Explain."

"Just needed to get away from them, you know?" She explained and as she did Natsu felt his curiosity spiking, "The two brothers I have were asses and my parents couldn't really tell right from wrong anymore. Dealing with children apparently makes it difficult to judge."

"Holy shit." Natsu breathed out, chuckling somewhat bemusedly, "I can't believe how easily I can relate."

"You too?" She asked, making eye-contact.

"Yup." He confirmed, "Brother's a sociopathic fuck who's out to get me and the pops can't see through his bullshit cause we're both his kids. Just had to get away from all that crap."

"Let me guess – family came running, huh?"

"Sadly."

"Well…" She said as she released a rather hollow laugh, yet Natsu could tell the smile on her face as she raised her glass was as genuine a smile as he had ever seen, "To dysfunctional families who just can't give us a break."

"I'll drink to that." Natsu replied, clinking his glass against hers as he did so.

"Results are in!" Yukino suddenly announced as she got in-between the pair. She had several pieces of papers in her possession as she called Ikaruga and the rest over, smiling brightly as she turned to Natsu.

"Tell me I won." Natsu said – more like ordered – as he was in the middle of subconsciously counting the papers.

"I would… but then I'd be lying."

Ikaruga gave a _very_ sharp laugh at the declaration, "Girls, I'm recording a personal record in tips tonight."

"Damn it!" Natsu exclaimed, "How many did I get?"

"Nine." The younger Agria sibling said, flipping through the papers with her fingers.

The blonde from before glanced over the barmaid's shoulder, "Wait, give me one."

Everyone present in the conversation gave her rather surprised glances as she fished out a piece of paper and a pen. She proceeded to write something down and chuckled to herself. Smiling wickedly, she handed the paper to the white haired Yukino, "And _that_ makes ten."

" _You didn't_." Natsu said through a gasp, swiping the papers from the younger Agria.

" _You can't_!" Ikaruga protested loudly, smacking her hand against the bar as she did so.

"Yes I _did_ and I sure as hell _can_." The blonde mused as she smiled sweetly at the bartender, "I was in the contest. I just didn't write his name down cause, well… we didn't have much of a conversation. Had we actually talked I'm pretty sure he would've scored."

Her brow twitching, the pink haired bartender had the urge to argue further. And yet one simple glance at the overexcited Natsu told her that she wasn't about to get away with this one. Albeit unwillingly, she punched it a button in the register and took out a singular money bill from the drawer.

"I hate you." She said as she handed Natsu the money.

"I love you!" Natsu shouted to the heavens as he looked towards the woman, making everyone present – sans Ikaruga – either snicker, giggle, chuckle, or outright laugh.

Moments later it had actually dawned on Natsu that he hadn't asked her name before. Taking this as his chance, he gave a quick look at the paper she had written on.

"Dimaria Yesta… huh." He said, eyes lifting to regard her.

"Weird name, I know. Feel free to call me Mari." She said, smiling.

"I was going to say it was a nice name but, uuuh… okay, Mari." Natsu smiled back, "Oh, wait… Natsu." He said sheepishly, making her quirk a brow, "I hadn't given you my name."

"I already knew. I mean, it _was_ on the paper I was _supposed_ to write my name on."

"Oh."

"But." Dimaria suddenly said, grabbing Natsu's hand and giving it a shake, "It's a pleasure to meet you either way, Natsu."

He grinned, "Likewise."

"Oh get a room you two." Ikaruga suddenly said as she walked by, giving them the stink-eye.

"Go pout somewhere else, hundred-less Ruga!" Natsu replied, fistpumping victoriously when the pinkette flipped him the bird.

The rest of the night went on pretty similarly. After Natsu got over himself wining and stopped making fun of Ikaruga, he and Dimaria continued with their conversation. Their topics ranged from sports to work, from school to personal lives. She had also asked him why he was drinking water, too, and while Natsu didn't give her the actual reason for it he did hint that it was because of an alcohol-induced screw-up which made him feel like he needed to abstain for a prolonged while.

Eventually as the night drew late they realized that they needed to go home. They were both functioning parts of society – well, one was – and had to actually be alive the next day. Natsu had found out that they were headed in the same direction and that Dimaria lived somewhere in between Eclipse and his apartment, so he figured he might as well walk her home.

They waved goodbye to the bartenders and barmaids and went outside. All the while they kept up a conversation which from that point on never induced a silence. It was weird, honestly. Natsu was being bluntly honest with her about himself, and he _never_ did anything like that. Even with Lucy he had to filter his words on the account of worrying what she might think about him. With Dimaria it was kind of like it didn't really matter, he thought. Then again he wasn't going into too much detail, nor did he even mention any of his exes.

Yesta, on the other hand, was just as honest with him, which he found intriguing and appreciated it at the same time.

At one point in their trek along the lamplight lit snow-covered sidewalks, though, their path was blocked by a highly-intoxicated male who seemed to be rather infatuated by the female and was spouting all kinds of inappropriateness. It was actually pretty insulting, which ticked the basketball player off.

It got especially bad when the drunk made a move to get physical with her, "Oi!" Natsu suddenly jumped up, intent on pushing the guy off her. He froze in place, however, when the blonde grabbed the offender's arm, twisted it behind his back, kicked him in the balls from behind and left him gasping and writhing on the sidewalk... which admittedly made Natsu want to impulsively cover his own crotch.

 _I know that she's a cop, but damn…_

"You coming?" She asked casually as if she hadn't just crushed the guy's gonads into oblivion. Standing there dumbfounded for a good few moments, Natsu had to shake his head to get himself out of his stupor before he caught up with her.

"Remind me never to piss you off." He said.

"I think after that little stunt you'll have no trouble remembering it yourself."

"…touché."

About three minutes later they were already near the entrance to Dimaria's apartment complex, "Thanks. Been a while since I went out and had fun." She admitted, winking at the pinket playfully.

"Hey, same here. My night got ten times more fun cause of you." He grinned, "That and you got me a hundred bucks and saved me from at least a month of vocal bullshit. So, y'know, thanks for that too?"

Smiling and offering him a short wave, Dimaria went for her door. Something suddenly piled up in Natsu's throat and he quickly realized that it was the urge to ask her if he was going to see her again. He wasn't sure if he should, though. A hundred different scenarios played in his mind when he thought what would happen if he did. Luckily for him, however, he didn't need to do anything.

"By the way." Dimaria suddenly said as she stopped in the middle of the doorway. She turned to him and grinned rather mischievously, "You might want to check your pockets." She concluded and closed the door behind her as she entered, leaving the sound of a giggle in her wake.

Confused, Natsu stood in place for a while as what she said begun to sink in. He then tapped both hands on his jeans' front pockets, then back, and eventually his jacket pockets. Feeling some kind of mass in the left one, he fished out what he realized was a folded piece of paper.

Evening it out, Natsu facepalmed and quietly chuckled in amusement when he realized it was her phone number.


	27. Chapter 27

_**A/N:** Ain't you fucking happy to see this notification in your email?_

 _Sorry it took so long. I know I promised a chapter during Spring Break but, well, life was being a bitch. Go figure._

 _And because it took so long, I caved and gave you the Lucy chapter you've been wanting so much. I SERIOUSLY HOPE YOU'RE FUCKING HAPPY._

 _Also, can't believe I'm about to say this, but go follow me on **Tumblr ( Shedauwz)**. I'm likely to post occasional snippets of future chapters and some other fairly amusing bullshit. Also there's just something fun about having _followers _, teehee. ONWARD TOWARDS WORLD DOMINATION, MY CULT!_

* * *

 _ **Hangover**_

* * *

"What's so great about Blue Mountain State anyway?"

"It's a funny show?"

"It's about _jocks_ drinking and having sex like that's all there is to life!"

"Yes but you can't argue that the ridiculousness of it is funny, Levy." Lucy said in between packing her things for the day, snickering when her friend huffed in what outwardly resembled minor frustration.

"I guess, but still." The bluenette continued as she breezed through the shows Lucy followed on Netflix, "It's just stupid, makes you go brain dead, and- and-"

"Let me guess – Gajeel likes the show, doesn't he?"

"What does he have to do with any of this?!"

"Oh, I don't know. Though the fact that you've been going on and on about him for the past three days or so kinda makes a girl think."

"Think _what?_ " The girl snapped.

"Oh nothing. Nothing at all." Lucy chirped through a light chuckle.

"Hey, have you seen this?" Levy suddenly asked as she outstretched her phone towards the blonde.

Lucy hummed questioningly, completely ignoring her friend's sudden change of mannerism on the account of that happening for about the fifth time this hour alone, "What is it?"

"A highlight of Natsu from the last game. A lot of these have been popping up lately. Seems like our team's Facebook page has slowly been coming alive since we're gradually entering the post-season again."

The blonde took a peek at Levy's phone. It was a freeze-frame image of Natsu mid-dunk as he grasped the ball and was about to smash it into the rim. His form was covered by a mixture of a crimson and orange-like aura whilst the rest of the image was a deep electric blue. To the side were his stats – forty three points, twelve rebounds, five blocks and ten steals.

The quotation below – by a renowned college basketball reporter, no less – read: _"MVP-candidate Natsu "Salamander" Dragneel has officially returned with a phenomenal college-record-breaking performance that FTU has been longing for."_

Another read: _"This was easily a League-worthy performance. If he keeps this up we may very well see him drafted as a first pick."_

A quote from a long-lasting professional player followed: _"Can't wait to see what this kid's capable of doing in the future. A Triple-Double? In college? And that buzzer-beater? Man. Just… man."_

"Wow." Lucy said, re-reading the quotes, "Seems like Natsu's been getting quite a bit of exposure."

"Yeah." Levy confirmed, "I mean, similar stuff happened last year right before the post-season, but nothing like this."

Lucy smiled, "Well, I'm glad to see he's doing well." She said and went over to her laptop to check over some things for class.

Levy, on the other hand, kept staring at Lucy somewhat curiously, something nagging at the back of her skull.

A sigh left the blonde, "What is it?" She asked, being able to tell that something was on her mind. The two of them haven't been friends for long at all, but it was strange how well they meshed together. They were already more or less able to read each other like they'd been friends for at least a year – that didn't happen too often.

"Nothing, it's just…"

" _Levy._ "

"Fine!" The blue haired female barked out, pouting over being read so easily, "You and Natsu. What's going on with you two?"

Heartfilia froze for a split second at the question, her eyes looking up to the ceiling for a brief moment as though she wanted to avoid the question at all costs, "I…" She spoke up, "I don't know, honestly."

"What do you mean _I don't know_? Have you talked to him?"

"It's been kinda hard to do that lately. What with him looking like a rabid dog most of the time."

"You know _exactly_ why he's like that."

"No, why?" Her hazel eyes met Levy's seemingly astonished gaze.

"…seriously?"

"Yes. Enlighten me."

"Mavis, blonde suits you, you know?" The bluenette said while shaking her head, ignorant of the light glare directed at her, "It's that disgusting _sleaze_ Loke you've been hanging with, that's why! People have been talking, Lu."

"I don't care. People want to talk? Let them talk."

 _Oh the irony of her learning things from Natsu that end up hurting him, of all people_ , she thought, yet figured she may not want to voice that, "Yeah, but Natsu-"

"Natsu what, Levy? He's hearing that Loke and I are sleeping together?"

"I suppose, yes."

"Well then if he's feeling bad about that – he should." She said, shocking even the bluenette, "Don't misunderstand me, I didn't mean it like that." She sighed, "Look. Natsu and I, we hang out – _hung_ out – long enough for him to know that I wouldn't do something like that."

"Boys _are_ pretty dumb though, Lucy."

"You're telling _me_." The blonde scoffed, earning a very lightly amused chuckle from the other female, "If he lets something he _knows_ isn't true get him down, then by all means, suffer away."

"You don't mean that." Levy said almost knowingly.

"No, I don't." Lucy admitted, sighing once more in annoyance, "Mavis, this entire situation has just gone down such a long-winded spiral that it has me confused all over again."

"You really should talk to him, you know. I mean, I'm not condoning what he's done to you – nobody is, not even his best friend. But don't you think it's at least time to clear the air, even if just a little bit? I mean, you did say you'd try to be his friend, given some time. Time passed, you know?"

"I know, Levy. I know. I'll… _try_."

"And do mention the fact that you _haven't_ actually done anything with Loke, alright? And that _you're not planning to_."

"Or am I?"

"Are you?"

"Mavis, no." The blonde reeled back.

"Then if somebody asks why're you hanging out with him so much, what would you tell them?"

"I'd tell them to mind their own business. But if _you_ asked me that, then, well… Loke was the one who kinda helped me get over what happened with Natsu?" Lucy explained, wondering about that herself, "He just… after that particularly _delightful_ weekend I hadn't shown up to class and Loke texted me. Said he was worried."

"And?"

"And I don't know. We just talked. Like, a lot. About random stuff. Class. Work. Practicum. Upcoming thesis. That sort of thing. The small talk helped me get my mind off things. Then he asked me out for coffee and that apparently notorious Facebook post appeared, even though I asked him not to post that."

Levy hummed, nodding to herself as she digested the offered information, "So you're saying there's nothing between you two? Because if there is I, as your friend, am required to be privy to such key information. Keeping leeching heathens and potential venereal diseases off of you is apparently part of my job now."

"Gee, thanks, Levy. Really. Don't forget to add _Guardian of Lucy's Integrity_ to your resume."

"Aye, sir!"

"Anyway, yeah, no. Nothing's going on between us of that sort. We're just friends. Nothing more, nothing less. That's why I couldn't stand the way Natsu was talking to him. I mean, imagine Gajeel talking about Natsu the way Natsu's been talking about Loke. You'd be pretty angry too, right?"

"Hey, what's that supposed to mean?" The bluenette growled, glaring at Lucy as the blonde wiggled her eyebrows borderline suggestively, "Gosh. Yes. _Yes!_ I would be. Happy?"

"Very."

"So you'll talk to him?"

"Yes, Levy. I'll talk to him." She paused, "…I should probably apologize to him too, shouldn't I?"

"For?"

"You know. For getting him stressed out over all of this. He's my friend too."

"You are _such_ a typical _girl_." Levy deadpanned, "Now I realize why boys keep whining about us females being difficult to decipher."

Sporting a sudden half-smile, Lucy heaved a breath, "Sometimes I find _myself_ having a hard time understanding _me_."

Later the two engaged in some chitchat until Levy's phone buzzed, "Come on, Lu. Gajeel's already waiting for us."

" _Gajeel_ is waiting for us, is he?"

"Be quiet and get your butt in gear. We'll be late for class." She replied to her friend's snicker with a glare.

"Coming." She said, fetching her bag and heading for the door. The duo made their way downstairs and outside. A black BMW x5 was parked in the driveway with the aforementioned PG waiting in the driver's seat, keeping the engine running. Chuckling, Lucy made her way to the back seat, purposefully blocking Levy's way so the bluenette was forced to ride shotgun.

"'Sup." Gajeel greeted them before he pulled out into the street and went in the campus' general direction, "You guys coming to the game tonight?"

"It's after class, yeah?" Lucy questioned, peeking her head into the front seat.

"Six-thirty." He confirmed.

" _We_ will be there." Lucy said, "Isn't that right, Levy?"

"Huh? Oh. Yes. We will."

"Who are you playing against tonight, anyway?"

"Some random schmucks from OU."

"Ogre? That shouldn't be too difficult then."

"I wouldn't be so sure if I was you, pipsqueak." Gajeel answered, ignoring the pointed glare directed towards him from the shotgun seat.

"What? Why not?" Lucy suddenly asked, forcing a tired sigh out of Gajeel.

"You saw what happened in the last game?" He questioned, his crimson eyes scanning the streets as he made a rough turn.

"You mean – careful! – how Natsu completely went off before the half?" The bluenette asked.

"No, after that."

"The buzzer beater?"

"Yup. Everything kinda went to shit after that."

Blinking, Lucy looked to Gajeel's face through the rear-view mirror, noticing the tinge of discomfort in his expression. Curious, she again peeked her head forward, "What happened?"

"Don't ask, Lucy. Erik didn't trust Natsu and as a result that pink haired idiot essentially told him to fuck off. It's annoying as balls."

"It couldn't be that bad, right?" The blonde asked, "I'm sure they'll bounce right back."

"Apparently they haven't talked since then. Erik's been staying at Kagura's these past few days." Levy said, checking her phone.

"What is this, a break up?" Lucy questioned, slightly surprised.

Gajeel rolled his eyes, "Who the fuck knows with these two. I just hope they get their shit together soon. Post-season is almost here and I'll shove my boot in both their asses if we get eliminated because of this." He said, "And _you_."

"Wha- _me_? What did I do?" Heartfilia jumped, pointing a finger towards herself.

"You better talk to that fiery idiot before he actually passes out from a fucking panic attack."

"Wait, panic attack?"

" _Gajeel_!" Levy growled.

" _What?_ " The dark haired male shot back, the glare he left on display enough to silence the much smaller female, "I'm sick and tired of you people acting like you're walking around a fucking minefield when he has something to do with it. Basketball is likely the one thing most of us have going for us and, as much as I hate to say it, we _need_ him to do good." His glare turned to Lucy through the rear-view mirror, "And he _can't_ do good if he needs to deal with whatever bullshit he has on his mind, capiche?"

Lucy sat quietly, pondering over what Gajeel said. She didn't know Natsu was having panic attacks over what happened between them. Or maybe it wasn't even because of that – she had no clue. She became conflicted; even more so than she already was. On the one hand, Natsu was the one who inherently brought this on himself – that was universal fact that couldn't be denied by anyone. Yet on the other Lucy knew that the way she refused to talk to him wasn't the right thing to do. It was her punishing him – something which she wasn't the type of person to do. She needed time, yes, and she got it.

Plopping back in the back seat, Lucy remained quiet for the remainder of the ride to campus, trying to rearrange her thoughts to make sense of it all. This silence and chaotic state of mind transferred over to the rest of Lucy's day as well. When they got to campus the two girls thanked Gajeel for the ride and went to their designated classrooms. Lucy put her study hat on and engaged her 'nerd mode' as Natsu had once put it, essentially blocking out any and all thoughts that were irrelevant to what the books in front of her said. It provided a strange sense of solace for the blonde – a sense that she appreciated very much given her current circumstances.

Several hours later she met up with Levy again and the dynamic duo made their way over to Clive Center where the game was supposed to be held.

"How many home games do they have left, anyway?" Lucy asked, turning to her friend as they marched along the campus' pathways.

"Two, I think." She said, bringing a finger to her chin, "and one more away game." Lucy hummed in confirmation, nodding her head, "Next one's gonna be an away game. Not sure who they'll be playing though."

"They're likely to win thought, right?"

"I guess that depends on whether or not what Gajeel said is true." She stated, and the two of them shared a collective sigh that signaled the end of that particular conversation.

Moments later the two girls found themselves sitting in the stands of Clive Center's court. Students were gradually filling the entirety of the seats that were there, some of them waving their hellos to the basketball players participating in the warm up shootaround. The referees were talking amongst each other while the designated officials of the match set up the board and reporters table. Lucy took notice of the few all-official-looking individuals that sneaked their way into the stands.

"Scouts, most likely." Levy said, quickly catching on.

Moments later the players were surrounding their respective benches. Lucy gave a half-smile to Loke who had noticed her and offered a salute. She gave a short wave back, yet her eyes were looking for someone else – a certain pink haired Power Forward who had yet to make an appearance.

And just as this thought crossed Heartfilia's mind the aforementioned pinket walked through the door and onto the court. And yet, as opposed to how Natsu would've normally greeted the fans, this time was the complete opposite when several cheers sounded for the basketball player. Now he completely ignored everything, seemingly forcing his brain to zone out all of the irrelevant noise to be able to focus.

Lucy found it borderline creepy how similar their coping mechanisms were.

Natsu seemed laser-focused and had his glare-sporting game-face on. Despite not being there for the warmup shootaround, the pinket was already covered in sweat – likely having done a warmup routine of his own just moments before. He walked up to his bench, swapped a few words with the new head coach that she couldn't make out, and made his way to the court.

After the usual banter from the referees was over and the ball was tossed in, Lucy was practically amazed at how fast FTU went on the offensive. Laxus managed to score FTU's first possession and passed it to Gajeel who – with his hawk-like eyesight, passed it to a charging Natsu along the half-court. The pinket caught it with relative ease, broke away from his defender, jumped, and slammed down the breakaway dunk that felt like it set the tone for the rest of the game.

Lucy noticed several things throughout the course of the game. The first one was that Gajeel and Erik had switched positions and roles. Erik was now at the point, dictating how FTU's offense was going to proceed, at Gajeel was at the three, using his paradoxical mixture of nimbleness and strength to his advantage to push through.

The blonde was no sports analyst, but over the course of watching most of FTU's games this year, hanging out with the players and having done some research of her own, she realized that what FTU's new head coach was doing was definitely the right call. Body-wise, Erik and Gajeel were initially in the very wrong positions, yet those were the positions they had initially been most comfortable in, she assumed. Now that they were getting out of their comfort zone and actually trying something new from start to finish showed that they were steadily improving. The proof was right in their faces, as well – Gajeel and Erik were displaying phenomenal performance boosts not only for themselves but in the way they were able to aid the team with how well they meshed as well.

Erik not only had the handles to prove himself as a force to be reckoned with but he also had a superb on-court vision that rivaled those of the players on the best teams. He was able to quickly break away from the opponent that was marking him and either zone in for a shot or a pass, scattering their defense and opening the way for their offense. And Gajeel was an all-around great two-way player that was proving himself to be a menace to deal with as well – his quickness and court vision proving to make him unpredictable as he darted all around the court, being able to not simply run the extra point on the move but also post-up if it was required of him.

The second thing that she noticed was Natsu. Simply put, he wasn't passing. He was playing by himself. Whenever he got the ball the pinket would charge in and do everything by himself. And, while he was able to put up phenomenal numbers that way and completely overpower his opponents, the way he ball-hogged made it feel like not two but three teams were playing the game. Frankly Lucy was astonished the coach wasn't calling a time out.

Then she realized why. Whenever Natsu had the ball FTU's tactic switched to isolation play. Natsu was on one side of the court against one opponent, while the four other players were on the other side, drawing the four opposing defenders to themselves. Such a tactic easily enabled a player to exploit the difference in skill between himself and his opponent in order to score effectively, and if per chance something went wrong he could always pass to his teammate. That, however, wasn't the case here. Even when something went wrong – for example the opponents coming to double or even triple team him – Natsu didn't pass. He kept to himself and willed the shot in, regardless of what was standing in his way.

At the sight of this Lucy couldn't help but think back to what Gajeel had said about Natsu and Erik not trusting each other. Even while Natsu was playing without his teammates, it was apparent that he seemed to ignore Erik the most, and the same was on the other side as well. While the other players did on occasion pass to Natsu when he wasn't ball-hogging, Erik didn't. He ran plays with the rest of the team.

Their lack of team-play was worrying. It didn't matter against an opponent like Ogre, of course – FTU were demolishing them by over thirty points by the half. But if you considered the stronger opponents that were sure to creep up further down the line, this could pose a serious problem.

And yet Natsu was known to prove people wrong, so Lucy couldn't really tell what was going to happen.

As the game finally winded down, FTU led by a total of thirty-three points, being spearheaded by Natsu's forty-two points, thirteen rebounds, five steals, six blocks, and a grand total of zero assists. Despite the win, Lucy noticed that, as opposed to the fans who were ecstatic at the display, the players weren't so enthusiastic about the win. They just went at it as though it was business as usual – the glee that she was used to seeing on their mugs was all but void.

She heard a sigh from her side, "Well, while Gajeel was right, at least they won." Levy said.

"Yeah…" Lucy agreed, nodding her head weakly. Both of them could tell that while they did win by what by all accounts was an enormous margin, this wasn't their usual style of play and left them unsatisfied.

Several minutes later Lucy waved Levy goodbye, stating that she wanted to try to speak to Natsu. Understanding the predicament, the bluenette wished her luck and went her own ways while Lucy awaited the pinket on a bench outside Clive Center.

Sometime later Lucy quirked a brow when a police car approached the premises. Curious, she watched as a woman dressed in uniform got out of the car and went towards the building. As she did so, the pinket that Lucy had been waiting on went outside at the exact same time.

"Did you win?" The woman asked.

Natsu shrugged, "Did you have any doubts?"

The female snorted in amusement and smacked his shoulder, "Guess not."

"Wait, why the hell are you in uniform? _And_ with a police car." Natsu suddenly asked, peeking over the blonde police officer's shoulder and pointing towards the government-issued vehicle.

"Well, I assumed you'd need an official security detail after the slaughter you pulled." She said, grinning, "I listened in on the radio. Apparently they broadcast you guys now."

"Huh." Natsu replied, "Well, alright. Oi, Mari. Let's get some food, yeah?"

"Oh hell yes, I'm starving."

"Same."

All throughout this conversation, Lucy was berating herself for eavesdropping. As she watched Natsu get in the shotgun seat of some other woman's car, she wondered if this was how he felt when she was with Loke. The feeling was strange. Indescribable even.

But it fucking hurt.

* * *

 _ **A/N#2:** Seriously. **Tumblr.** DO IT._


	28. Chapter 28

_**A/N:**_ _From now on the updates here are probably going to get less frequent, and by that I mean less frequent than they were last summer. Honestly I'd rather take longer and cook out a chapter I'm actually proud of than three every week which are complete garbage. Quality over quantity, yeah? I'll try to at least publish one per week, but, as per usual, I make no promises._

* * *

 _ **Hangover**_

* * *

Life was one of those things, y'know? Unexpected shit happened left and right – that's just how things worked. Business as usual. Nothing new. Natsu Dragneel's life was one of the finest examples of how life and its peculiarly enticing machinations operated. He's gone through all sorts of experiences during his years on Earthland: bad, good, absolutely fantastic and downright suicide-provoking. This, however, was something he honestly couldn't predict happening. One minute he's minding his own business, playing ball to get some exercise and practice in, the next he's being sandwiched between the hard wooden tiles of the court and the ginormously large and soft mounds of glory belonging to the busty blonde straddling him, looking like she was about to gobble him up and send him to proverbial Heaven.

A year or so ago he might've expected it. Hell, he might've been _trying_ to get himself into such a predicament. Now though, at this particular juncture in time? _What the fuck._

Okay, let's rewind that by about a dozen or so hours.

She was screaming.

Screaming at him, to be exact.

Together with the annoying as fuck choir of bullshit that was his alarm clock's ringtone.

Why was she screaming at him?

It was bad enough that he decided to leave this homicidal-tendency causing piece of shit song as his alarm clock.

Then again setting an annoying alarm clock will make you want to get out of bed that much faster.

We're getting sidetracked.

Back to whining.

Why the hell couldn't she just shut up?

It wasn't like he wanted her here.

Heck, all he actually wanted was for her to get out of his life. Pack her bags and take a hike into the fucking Bermuda Triangle.

By this point he'd actually wish for her to drown in it. Maybe get eaten by a squid while we're at it.

Did squids even eat people? Were there any squids in the Triangle to begin with?

SIDETRACKING.

 _No_ , someone just _had_ to push her into his life and allow her to make him regret his own pitiful existence.

It didn't help that he couldn't understand what the fuck she was saying either.

Nobody could blame him for it, though – not everyone was fluent in Mexican.

 _Spanish. Jellal said it was Spanish._

 _Wait, why the fuck do I care?_

Natsu groaned loudly as he tried covering his ears. The sound of Soulja Boy's _Hit Em With The Draco_ was enough to make anyone want to kill themselves. But if you considered the fact that it was _six in the goddamn morning_ you could probably tell why Natsu was literally feeling like there was a cancerous tumor forming in his brain, getting larger with each passing second the song played its murderous notes.

" _Levantarse de la cama_." And then there was her; the voice that shared the same space of existence as that song at that specific moment; the voice that had been thrust upon him time after time again with no damn explanation whatsoever. The voice that had been nagging at him ever since five minutes ago to get his ass out of bed and start his pre-planned morning already.

While Natsu knew he should be grateful – _to a degree_ – he still couldn't help feeling like he was about to chuck his phone into a black hole, _AKA Gray's anus._

"Siri, could you please, _please_ shut the fuck up." He whined out, almost pleaded. The mixture of the _fuck-you_ musical that was playing its beats in his room so early in the morning and Siri's bitching was quite literally close to causing him a migraine and he didn't appreciate this in the slightest.

" _Levántate entonces._ " Siri sounded over the song on his phone, and despite the fact that Natsu couldn't understand Spanish to ask how to turn his damn phone off, he could tell what she was saying. He didn't want to get up yet. He knew he should, but honestly all he wanted to do was lie in bed and stare at the ceiling for a quick minute. _With some peace and quiet._

He covered his eyes with his palms and squeezed so tight he felt like they would pop backwards into his skull. Honestly Natsu wouldn't have minded – actually, he was probably trying to do that in the first place. Or was going to, if not for the sudden weight on his chest and the soft paw that touched his chin.

Lifting one hand to let himself see, he waited for the blurriness from his eyes to fade before he made contact with a blue feline staring him down. _Meow,_ it said, forcing a hollow breath out of the pinket.

"Yes, yes, I know you're hungry, Happy. But my body literally can't move on the account of how awful this disco-in-my-fucking-room situation is." He said, covering his eyes again.

The critter tilted his head to the side curiously and stared back at the suicidal basketball player with what actually looked like a form of amusement. However Happy was hungry, and when cats were hungry they got diabolical.

No, seriously. Cats are assholes.

Luckily for Natsu, Happy felt like this music was ear-drum cancer as well. Unluckily for Natsu, however, the cat didn't care how much a new phone costed.

Jumping off of the male's chest, the cat carefully proceeded towards the vibrating phone, his eyes narrowing suspiciously as he got close. With his paw he pushed the phone, checking if it was going to push back. As if having received some form of confirmation when the phone didn't react, Happy mewled again and gave another push, this time _stronger_.

Natsu jumped from his bed when he heard a loud crash, eyes looking around frantically when the thought of what might have just happened crossed his mind. Scanning the confines of his darkened room, his eyes made out the form of Happy sitting on the corner of the bed innocently.

Occupying the corner of his bed where Natsu left his phone before the cat got there.

"…you didn't." Natsu voiced out worriedly, eyes wide as saucers, "You fucking didn't!" Tossing the sheets sideways Natsu bolted along his bed and to the edge, pushing Happy off in the process. He grabbed his phone off the floor and almost cried out when he saw that the screen really was cracked, "Motherfucker…" He practically sobbed out, head slumping down.

 _Look at the bright side_ , he imagined Happy saying, _at least Soulja Boy fucked off._

"Cat, I will fucking strangle you some day, mark my words." Natsu growled out, groggy eyes glaring weakly at the seemingly sneering feline. Sighing to himself, the pinket sat on the edge of his bed and booted up his phone. Aside from the fact that its screen was borderline shattered it still worked, and so he considered himself lucky – at least he wouldn't be completely off the grid until he could get a new one.

Leaving it on the desk next to his bed, he wandered across his room and into the hallway, "Come on, let's get you something to eat before you decide to chew through my stationary." He said, honestly dreading the thought of something like that happening.

It was extremely early by any standards, yes, but it wasn't like Natsu was still half-asleep. Half his foot was still in sandman's land, sure, but he was awake, at least, _and_ didn't look like zombie number fifteen from the Walking Dead. He had been trying to get himself back into his morning rhythm ever since he started doing some extra exercises. He had also begun trying to go to bed at a reasonable time as well to be able to capitalize on some decent amount of sleep. Last night after he got a bite to eat with Dimaria she dropped him off home at about 10PM and he was soundly asleep by about 11PM. Seven hours was _too much_ time when you think about his usual sleep routine, but his goal was eight-per-night, so it was a damn near perfect start.

He wasn't sleeping altogether a week or so ago – the fact that he even _managed_ to sleep was a miracle in and out of itself.

When he got in the kitchen, he filled Happy's bowl up to the brim with cat food and got himself a glass of water. He later went to the bathroom, brushed his teeth, got a face-full of ice-cold water and splashed some more over his hair in order to fully wake himself up. Shivering slightly, he shook the remaining water out and went to put some sweats on.

Fully dressed in light-grey training gear, Natsu zipped up his hoodie and pushed his earphones into his ears, smiling when the first song of the morning was _XXX_ by _Kendrick Lamar_. That new album of his was pure fire and Natsu had been listening to it for the past two weeks or so.

Stretching his legs and arms, the pinket went out for a jog. It had been a proper while since he had actually engaged in exercise this early in the morning. He used to do that a lot back in high school – almost every morning, to be exact. But going into college and embracing his new lifestyle forced Natsu to shed this productive habit. Nobody could really blame him for it, though. But regardless of that Natsu actually missed being at least semi-active in the mornings. It let him prep for the rest of the day in a way that helped him be fresh and awake for what waited him in the hours that followed and kept his body in shape at the same time.

The basketball player returned about an hour later, breath slightly erratic and body covered in a thin layer of sweat. Eyes darting to the clock hanging in the hallway, he took note that he still had some time before his first scheduled class of the day. Taking this into account, Natsu made a short to-do list in his brain and hopped into the shower.

Leaving the steaming bathroom ten minutes later in nothing but a towel, the pinket made a beeline towards the kitchen while rinsing his hair with a towel. Without looking he punched in a few buttons on the coffee machine using nothing but muscle memory and moved to the fridge. He could feel his mouth water at the prospect of finally getting his morning coffee, yet he was slightly saddened that he couldn't indulge in the second part of his used-to-be-usual morning routine which made everything so damn delectable – tobacco. The first coffee in the morning combined with a cigarette was nothing short of delicious to Natsu and he was still sad over having to let that go, but he knew he had to for, well, reasons.

He fished out a couple of eggs from the fridge and some other food-stuffs he'd need to make himself some breakfast. Leaving everything on the table and popping a cup in the coffee machine, Natsu went over to his room to get dressed.

Coming back to the kitchen dressed in black jeans, a grey shirt and a loose unzipped red hoodie, Natsu grabbed his coffee out of the coffee machine and took a small sip, literally feeling his toes tingle at the taste. He proceeded to make himself an omelet and a protein shake on the fly when he heard the click of the front door's lock.

"Yo, Happy. Wassup little guy." The pinket heard Erik's voice from the hallway, yet dutifully remained on his task. The redhead then entered the kitchen, "I bought him some food. Should last for the rest of the week."

Natsu hummed in confirmation, "Alright." He said, "Gonna stay over at Kagura's?"

"Yeah. She's helping me out with my thesis." Erik confirmed as he stashed the cat food and some other essentials in the fridge. He then turned to Natsu who remained with his back to him, "Yo, uh, I'm gonna head over to FTU in like ten minutes." He paused, "Need a lift?"

"Naw, I'm good." Was the reply Natsu gave, opting not to get into too much detail. He knew Erik was trying to reconcile or something along those lines. It was just that Natsu was having difficulty accepting that. He knew he should be grateful to Erik for all the times he was there for him when his clusterfuck of a life went even more haywire than it usually did. And he _was_ grateful. More than words could describe. But this was another matter altogether. What happened on the court and to them as a team was different than what happened to them as friends.

As it stood, Natsu felt like he couldn't trust Erik. The court was their sanctuary – it was where they became friends and later best friends. If it were anybody else that broke his trust, Natsu likely wouldn't give too much of a damn and still talk to them, just not as much. But because this was Erik, his brother, things turned out so sour between them. The trust and respect they shared went deeper than anything Natsu had with anyone, and having that shaken wasn't something Natsu could easily forgive, let alone forget.

Erik understood this and didn't pry further. He knew Natsu didn't trust his judgment during that game, but it ultimately happened because he was the first one to doubt him. Something he also knew Natsu would have never done.

The pinket put his sanity in his hands, for Mavis' sake. In that split second everything happened, Erik doubted him, and to this day he still couldn't tell why.

"Alright…" The redhead reply, biting back a sigh as he turned on his heel and made for the door, "Well, if you need anything lemme know. I'll stay in touch."

"Got it." Natsu replied and stood still until he heard the front door close.

As soon as it did, Natsu released a massive sigh that he felt like he'd been holding back for far too damn long. Leaning back, he supported himself with his bum against the kitchen table and stared off into space. His gaze momentarily drifted to their alcohol cabinet; Erik had refilled it since the last time it was empty, because, well, let's face it, a celebration or party of whatever the hell else would eventually happen, and having no booze whatsoever wouldn't have been very party-like. A massive itch to take some scotch and pour it into his coffee gnawed at him, but he managed to beat it down as he simply finished what was left of his coffee in one go.

Suddenly what was left of his phone – _thanks for that, Happy_ – buzzed and he pulled it out from his pocket. He noticed an email was sent from his professor, and he quickly read through its contents. Apparently the guy came down with the flu and cancelled Natsu's upcoming class.

"Great." Natsu mused to himself as he prepared his protein shake, "Now what the fuck am I going to do?"

Rubbing his temples, Natsu muttered a quiet _whatever_ and took a large swig from his protein shake. Then he went back to his room, packed his sportswear, and, after finishing the shake, went out.

About half an hour later he was already on campus and made his way towards Clive Center. As it was about nine AM campus was relatively empty sans the few students running about, likely late for class. On his way in Natsu offered a nod to Mest and went over to the locker room to change.

Before long the pinket was already putting up buckets, deviating from dunking to layups to free throws to three pointers to half-court shots. Thanks to the rigorous amounts of shooting practice he'd been undergoing he noticed that his field goal percentage had shot up to what he had last year in his college career's prime. He wouldn't admit it to anyone, but his play had gotten worse over the time he spent confused as to what the fuck he wanted from life. Now, however, as he decided to fully dedicate himself to basketball, he began seeing a change in the pace of his play. Everything was now so much clearer, so much… _simpler_.

He wondered if this was the because of the lack of Lucy over the weeks.

Or rather, over the lack of his feelings for her.

It wasn't like they disappeared overnight. Or at all, for that matter. Natsu felt for her as strongly as he did before. Likely more now that he was acquainted with what it felt like to not have her around at all, or even to see her with another man. As cheesy as it sounded, to Natsu it felt like he was now existing in a void. It was like something inside his chest was simply gone. It was torn out and the wound healed itself without replacing the thing that was now missing.

Natsu still held feelings for Lucy, and he held them dear. It was just that pretending not to allowed for him some short-term peace of mind. It allowed him to focus on basketball. Hell, it gave him the opportunity to focus on himself. To make himself better.

He wanted to contact Lucy – he really did. He just didn't know how the fuck to go about doing that. Not to mention that Natsu thought that it wasn't worth talking to her if he remained the same old _Natsu Dragneel_ 'who everybody wanted to hang with.' History would just repeat itself and he would end up hurting her, likely even worse than he already has. He didn't want that. He couldn't stand the thought of it. He needed to be a better person – a person that was worth her time, her heart, and a future with her.

And, despite knowing this, this overdue change in him was taking too damn long. It was driving him nuts.

Natsu clicked his tongue when, too lost in his own thoughts, he botched his form and missed a free throw, watching as the ball hit the rim and went flying to the side, "Wow." A familiar voice called, making him turn over his shoulder, "Was it something we ate last night? That shot was _horrible_."

"Oh shut up, Mari." Natsu replied, rolling his eyes, "What are you even doing here? Are you stalking me?"

A chuckle left the blonde woman as she caught the ball Natsu threw and begun bouncing along the court as she went towards him, "I bet you'd be into that kind of stuff, wouldn't you?" She said, snorting when Natsu shrugged, "Breakfast. I was in the area, thought might as well." She added as she angled herself for a three pointer, "Your caf food sucks, by the way."

" _Hah_. Tell me about it." He replied, watching as she shot the ball, "What in the hell was that form?" He suddenly asked as he caught the rebound after Dimaria sunk the basket.

"It's a form that could demolish yours any time of the month." She said, smirking slyly as she watched Natsu shoot the three and sink it.

"That's so funny I'm not even laughing." Dragneel said bemusedly, giving her a fake laugh as well as he caught the ball again and passed it back to her.

"Oh yeah? Try me." She suddenly said, passing him back the ball which he barely caught on the account of how abrupt it was, "Half-court one-on-one, first to twenty one wins."

"Seriously? Look, I know you've played ball before, but this-"

"It gives you no excuse when I beat your ass to the ground." She said, now fully grinning and staring at him competitively, "What? You a pussy? Too scared to have your ankles broken, Salamandy?"

Natsu clicked his tongue and glared back, a familiar fire lighting itself in his eyes as he tossed her the ball back, "Bring it, tits-for-brains. Make sure those jugs don't weigh you down when I'm dunking on you."

"That ego's the only thing weighing anyone down."

"Shut your face boobzilla." Natsu growled as he got into a defensive stance, ready for her assault as he showed no opening.

The attack was instantaneous.

Using a series of dribble maneuvers, Dimaria was relatively easily able to cross over Natsu and run past him, shocking the pinket out of his gourd. Clicking his tongue, he chased her down and zoned in for the block… only for it to be ignored as Dimaria double-cluched to her other hand and sunk the lay-up.

"Holy…" Natsu breathed out, astonished.

"You're distracted. Get your head in the game or Imma leave you in the dust." She said, passing him the ball so he could give it back to her after she got behind the three-point line.

Several other very similar possessions followed suit. Dimaria would drive completely through Natsu's defense and, while he put up a decent fight, managed to take it to the hoop. Eventually the pinket found it in himself to steal the ball from her, got back to the three-line, and charged himself… only to miss a borderline open layup.

"Okay, what the hell's gotten into you? This is a far cry from the shenanigans you usually pull on the court." She suddenly said, giving the male a light glare as she got into position to play again.

A sigh left Dragneel's lips, "Don't ask, Mari. Last thing we need is for me to cover you in my bullshit."

"Is it a girl?" She continued and drove with the ball to Natsu's side, smirking when he was right there to intercept.

"Yes. Girl trouble. Who'da thunk it?" He said, watching her like a hawk as he homed in for a reach in.

"Damn it!" The blonde exclaimed suddenly as she lost her handle and gave the ball away, "Okay, what happened? Is it the ex you told me about last night?"

 _Oh, that's right. We_ did _have that conversation, didn't we?_ He thought briefly, his brows furrowing.

"Not sure you can really call her my ex. I mean, we weren't really together."

"Bullshit. It might have not been official, but you two were definitely an item."

"Alright. Alright. Have it your way, we _were_ together then." He said, bouncing the ball.

"So… what's the issue here?"

"I… I miss her?" He said, head slumping down, "Oi-"

"Ha!" Dimaria laughed triumphantly as she used the momentary opening after Natsu's confession to steal the ball away from him, "Did you two talk?"

"You pull that steal and you're gonna keep talking to me about this?" Natsu growled, feeling played.

"Yeah. The game's not stopping for anyone. Take it or get your pussy ass outta here." She grinned, noticing that she hit a nerve with that last remark as Natsu upped his defense.

"No, we haven't talked yet. I… I don't know how to, honestly." He admitted, his eyes still firmly focused on the basketball and Dimaria's feet, "I fucked up too many times and now that we haven't talked for so damn long it's just gotten too fucking difficult to imagine what I could possibly say to her."

"Hi, maybe? It's a conversation, Natsu. Not a Quantitative Reasoning exam." The female said and charged forward, clicking her tongue when Natsu was right on her, blocking her path.

"It's not that simple."

"Of course it is." Dimaria then attempted a crossover and charged to the side. When Natsu was once again right on her with his hand up, her eyes narrowed and she jumped, tossing the ball towards the basket, "It's how you normally start a conversation, isn't it?"

"Yeah? And then what?" Natsu asked as he caught the rebound after the ball clunked off the rim, " _Uhh, sorry I've been a douchebag lately. Or, like… forever._ "

She giggled, "It's a start, right?" The blonde tried blocking Natsu's layup, groaning when she failed almost miserably.

"I don't fucking know, okay?" Dragneel suddenly said with a tinge of annoyance in his voice, shaking his head a negative, "It's just… this is so fucking annoying."

"Whoa, take a chill pill, drama queen." She quipped, drawing a glare to her smirk, "How about you tell me what happened between you two in the first place?" She offered, "Maybe I can help you get to the bottom of the dilemma that is your stubbornness."

"Stubbornness my ass."

"It _is_ a pretty good ass." She said, whistling as she checked the aforementioned rear out while Natsu moved to stand behind the three point line

"Be quiet." He said, snorting in amusement as he got into position, "Well, alright." He said, angling himself for a three-pointer, "Just be ready to hear some crazy-ass bullshit… Kinda like that shot just now." He said, hissing when he absolutely screwed up his form mid-shot.

For a good portion of the rest of the time they spent playing, Natsu retold the story of what had happened with Lucy. He started from the very beginning – how they met, how they started to communicate more often, how he introduced her into his circle of friends, how he started having feelings for her and actually recognizing those feelings. How he gave her his mother's necklace which he didn't know if she still had, how they kissed under the New Year's fireworks, how she gave him the keychain during his birthday which he still has attached to his keys. Eventually he got to the part of how he cheated on her. How he apologized. How he almost broke Loke's face. How he almost broke _his own_ face. And, finally, what's been going on in the present.

Natsu told everything – he let it all out. He didn't leave a single detail untold. Being able to talk about this with someone felt strangely good; a good that Natsu hasn't experienced much on the account of mostly keeping to himself with matters like this. Talking it out put things into perspective. It helped Natsu organize his thoughts and see the big picture more clearly.

Now all he was curious to hear was Dimaria's reply.

"Oh boy." She replied, snickering to herself as she sunk a mid-range jumper.

"What?" He asked, very slightly agitated.

"You've been going at this the wrong way." She said, " _Both_ of you."

Natsu raised a brow, giving her an incredulous look as he tossed her back the ball, "The hell do you mean? There _is_ no wrong way to handle this. There is no _proper_ way to handle this altogether."

A sigh left the police officer's throat, "Maybe. But there are ways to prioritize damage control." She stated, "Relationships aren't about what you do by _yourself_. It's what you do _together_." She stood upright, holding the ball against her hip as she stared him dead in the eyes, the seriousness of her gaze catching the pinket off-guard, "While I do think the whole idea of trying to make yourself a better person before you face her again is admirable, it's only going to destroy what little you two have left after your stunt."

"Listen, Natsu. What you have to remember is that it's not only you who has to deal with this, but her as well. Judging by what you've told me it looks to me like she might have a similar idea to yours. It also looks like you've both been complete shit at doing what you've been trying to do and the lack of communication between you is driving you even further apart."

"So what do you suppose I do?" He asked, folding his arms in front of his chest.

"Mavis, it feels like I'm talking to a wall. _Talk to her_ , for Heaven's sake. Talk to her before both of you change and drift apart so much that you can't recognize the other. Relationships are about two people braving the storms of the ocean and all that other mushy writer crap. So you should work on it together, not separately. Deal with the issues you have not one by one, but together."

"I swear to God if you say that word one more fucking time-"

"I'll say it however many times I need to help get it across that brainless skull of yours." Dimaria cut him off, replying to his glare with one of her own, "The moment you started a relationship with this girl was the moment things stopped being about _you_. The two of you are being selfish, both with how you handle things and with yourselves. You think you can become the person the other needs, but who the hell are you to decide that? Be who you are, for fuck's sake, because that's the person that formed this relationship in the first place."

"That's also the person who fucked everything up." Natsu said almost solemnly, letting his head slump at the dreadful memory.

Dimaria continued to watch the dismayed basketball player, a feeling of sympathy washing over her. She didn't think that hanging with Natsu would end up making her into a relationship counselor. Nor could she imagine him being this boneheaded. But, at the end of the day, the two of them were friends, and a friend was supposed to knock some sense into the other whenever they were being a goddamn idiot.

"Stop feeling sorry for yourself and do something about it, you moron." She said, walking up to him and raising his face with her finger… though admittedly that wasn't far on the account of him being taller significantly than her, "You _can_ be the man that she needs and not the one who hurts her. But that's only if you _know_ what she needs. Don't pretend to know when you've completely excluded her from your life, Natsu. I know you think you're trying to do right by her, but the way things are going you'll just end up hurting her by not being there for her when she needs you." The blonde continued, "You've devastated her by all accounts. Ripped her heart out, stomped on it and let the vultures take what's left-"

"Oh, hey, thanks. That's working wonders right now." Natsu said, snorting bemusedly.

"But you're also going to have to be the one who helps her pick the pieces up and mold them back together." Dimaria concluded, smiling genuinely, "Be there when it counts and when _she_ needs you, not when _you_ think the time is right."

Natsu looked to his feet as he stayed quiet, his mind digesting the information. He looked up to her after a few brief moments, a new light in his eyes, "You really think that'll work? You know… talking to her?"

"I mean, I can't promise that." She admitted, shrugging nonchalantly, "But it sure as hell beats not doing anything at all, right?"

Hesitating once more for a brief moment, Natsu released a pent up breath before smiling, "Yeah, alright. Guess you do have a point."

"Great!" The blonde exclaimed, smiling back at the basketball player, "You'll talk to her then."

" _After_ I beat you, that is." He said, getting into a defensive stance, a sly grin morphing his features.

Dimaria scoffed at the statement, "We're at match point, Natsu, and you're down by five. Not sure how you're gonna turn this around."

"This ain't volleyball, princess. Come at me!"

While they were playing basketball, however, the other resident blonde at the university was running about campus, getting things in check for one of the projects she had due. Going from office to office, classroom to classroom, she was starting to feel annoyed at the lack of participation from her group members. It was just like those people, she thought. It was one thing to not give a crap about your own grade, but another still when others' grades were on the line as well.

There was one more place she hadn't checked for them, though. Even if it was unlikely, Clive Center was the one place she had yet to visit. With that thought firmly in mind, Lucy stomped over to the humongous sports building and ravaged its hallways with her march... which frankly lacked the famed Imperial March soundtrack in the background. She seemed so damn terrifying that it even shook Mest awake from his usual nap time at the desk.

And yet that terror came to an abrupt halt when she heard the squeal of sneakers along the basketball court. Her brow rising curiously, she immediately went to check. If those guys blew off class to play basketball she was going to rip them a new asshole. The sight she saw, however, was anything but what she had expected.

Lucy didn't know what to think or feel when she saw Natsu with that blonde from last night. The two of them were playing basketball and talking, nothing out of the ordinary. Yet what struck her the most was the idea that Natsu might have now been dating this person, _and_ the fact that she and Natsu had done the exact same thing, albeit this girl was putting up much more of a fight than she did.

This time she didn't eavesdrop on the conversation, though. The bouncing of the ball and the low of their voices made that too difficult anyway. She wished she could hear what they were saying though. As much as it would have hurt her, hearing the sweet nothings that she dreaded Natsu was whispering into the blonde's ears would have at least gotten her mind some paradoxical tumultuous peace. Knowing whether or not Natsu was actually dating this woman would have wounded her tremendously, but at the very least she could start moving on. As things stood now, she was too confused with their relationship – _or lack thereof_ – to know what the hell to think, feel, or do.

Suddenly, the woman moved forward, charging towards the hoop at speeds that actually surprised her. Yet Natsu seemed on point with his defense. He kept up, going toe-to-toe with her at every step she took. He barely let her through, yet she managed to push forward and dart for the rim. Natsu was right in front of her when she attempted what Lucy thought was a dunk. That apparently didn't work as planned when the blonde crashed into the pinket who jumped for the block. They both tumbled to the ground, one on the other, yet the blonde was devious enough to divert from a dunk to a layup, actually sinking the shot before she found herself mounting the resident PF.

"I win." She said, grinning slyly as she forced Natsu to the ground and straddled him.

The pinket groaned overdramatically as a response, smacking the back of his head against the court, "Now _this_ is embarrassing." He said, his brow twitching with irritation.

She leaned closer towards him and grinned in his face, "What was it you said about me being funny?"

"Oh shut up. You-" Natsu abruptly cut himself off when he noticed how exactly close to him Dimaria was. Not only that, he couldn't possibly miss the glint in her eyes that told a story Natsu wasn't expecting to see. The barely visible tint of rosy pink in her cheeks was intact, and Natsu couldn't help but swallow the saliva that had built up in his throat.

This couldn't be what he thought it was, could it?

Suddenly, a loud crash sounded from the other side of the court. Both Natsu and Dimaria jerked in place before they checked to see what's up.

"Sorry! Uhh… yes, sorry!" They made out Lucy's flustered features as she got up from the floor of the hallway outside the gym, likely having slipped and bumped into the door. She dusted herself off and bolted the heck out of there as fast as her feet carried her.

"Oh… _fuck me!_ " Natsu growled out as he covered his face with his hands, clearly distraught.

"She… that was _her_ , wasn't it?" Dimaria questioned as her gaze jumped from the door to Natsu and back.

"You fucking know it was her. Goddamnit."

Staring at him, she pondered over what to say next before she made her decision and clicked her tongue, "Well then go after her." She stated plainly as she got off him, making him glance at her with some surprise.

"You serious? After she saw _that_?" He asked, bewildered, "I wouldn't even know what to tell her."

"It's _because_ she saw _that_ , you nitwit. What the hell do you think she's thinking right now seeing me on top of you?" Dimaria reasoned, rolling her eyes, "Come on, get up off your ass and go set things straight."

Natsu laid back on the ground, weighing his options. Dimaria was right and he knew it. Leaving things as they were was a problem in the first place, and now that Lucy saw the two of them like that everything would undoubtedly fuck itself harder than Britney Spears' career back in '07. Everything would likely get screwed up – irreversibly this time.

Dimaria was right when it came to something else, too. Natsu had been doing nothing but minding his own business for too long now. He had this idea that he needed to be better than who he previously-currently was in order to be the man that Lucy deserved. However things didn't work like that and he now fully realized it. The solemn recognition of the fact that Lucy was hurting dawned on him once again – why the fuck was he isolating himself when she _needed_ him after the sorry excuse of a party at Edolas?

He couldn't just cross her out of her life like that. That didn't help him, and it definitely didn't help her. It didn't help anyone.

The Natsu from a year ago – hell, from a month ago would've just continued to sit on his ass and brood. This time, though, he knew he needed to act. More than he ever did before.

Groaning and ruffling his own hair, Natsu shot to his feet, "Alright. Alright! I'll go. But so help me if shit goes south I'll hoist you on that fucking hoop." He said, waving as he bolted past her.

"Deal." Dimaria replied, chuckling, "Oh, and Natsu?" She called, making him stop and turn over his shoulder, "How about you try seriously next time?" She asked, raising the basketball she held in her hands.

As a reply to this, Natsu scoffed and turned to face her. He waved for her to pass him the ball as he slowly walked towards the three point line. With a raised brow she tossed the ball towards him and watched curiously.

Before she knew what had happened Natsu charged at her and almost literally disappeared from her peripheral vision. The blonde's eyes widened when he passed her with such force it almost swept her off her feet, regardless of the fact that their bodies never actually made contact. She found herself dazed and almost fell over on her backside but managed to keep herself upright with some struggle. Turning over her shoulder, she stared, jaw agape as Natsu was already in the air and slammed the ball so hard into the basket that he almost tore the rim off.

"Happy?" He asked with a shrug and a shit-eating grin as he dashed past her full-sprint, intent on catching Lucy, "I'll talk to you later, Mari."

"Yeah…" She mused with bated breath, watching his retreating form. The rebounded ball rolled towards her and touched her foot. She picked it up and stared at its slightly torn leather. A myriad of thoughts ran through her mind at that particular moment as she angled herself and tossed a free throw.

But the most prevalent one that surfaced when she clunked the shot was whether or not she had just made a big mistake.

What felt like hours passed as Natsu rocketed along the hallways of Clive Center, completely ignorant of the fact that he almost made Mest fall off his chair when he ran by him. _Was she running from me or something? What the hell?_ he thought, clearly annoyed by how far Lucy had gotten.

"Fuck! Cold!" The pink haired basketball player hissed aloud as he finally got outside, scaring some of the students that were walking by minding their own business. It was practically Spring and already relatively warm, yet the sportswear Natsu wore and the light layer of sweat covering his skin proved to make things that much colder.

Looking into the distance, the pinket managed to make out a long mop of golden-blonde hair. She was walking at a rather fast pace, clearly in need of getting the hell out of the premises as fast as she could. Clicking his tongue, Natsu charged into a full-speed sprint once again.

"Lucy! Oi! Lucy!" He yelled, garnering no response, "Fuck's sake…!" He growled out as he ran, feeling his breath getting heavier, " _LUCE!_ " The minute he roared to the heavens was the minute he immensely regretted doing so. Lucy had heard that one – how couldn't she with how Natsu was only about fifteen feet away from her at that point. Hell, it actually startled her. Startled her enough to completely stop her in her tracks and make her turn back, alarmed.

All while Natsu was running towards her ten times faster than a hooker would from church.

Unfortunately for our beloved retard of a basketball player, physics dictated that he had too much momentum in his step to be able to stop in time, regardless of whether or not he had masterfully honed his footwork through basketball practice

Hence why two plausible solutions presented themselves to him in his mind at that split second.

First one: he'd crash into her in order to soften his fall. Hopefully both of them would survive.

Second one? The borderline _suicidal_ one? He'd jump sideways and risk his own skin in order to avoid her. He'd likely break his neck and then some, to be honest.

The choice here was a no-brainer.

"OH FUUUU-" He yelled as he jumped and, while doing so, actually managed to trip over absolutely nothing. Doing this set off a chain reaction of events that made Natsu question how the hell he didn't end up with brain damage, "-UUUUUUUUUUUCK!"

He fell over, practically maneuvered himself into a barrel roll as he did so, and, because of the momentum, ended up rolling along the pavement until the back of his head slammed into a stray lamppost – _hard_. Hard enough to almost rip the damn thing out of the ground and send it flying into Makarov's office.

The clang that followed was likely heard by the entire campus – hell, the entire neighborhood – as Natsu pondered over the meaning of life during the aftershock. All he saw at that moment was stars as he struggled to not fall sideways and into the ground, feeling as though he got smashed around harder than Saitama in his fight with Boros, especially when the guy got kicked into the fucking moon.

He swore he actually passed out for a second there.

" _-tsu?"_

When he finally came to, he found himself incredibly dizzy. Everything was blurry to say the least, and the buzzing in his ears made him feel as though someone set off a flashbang the size of Laxus right in front of him.

" _Natsu…?"_

His head throbbed. Hell, his whole body hurt for a good while after the initial impact. He felt like he'd just jumped off Mount Everest and dove face-first into a tree – considering the aftermath of what just happened, the analogy wasn't that far off either.

" _Natsu!"_

A _hard_ slap against his cheek woke him from his incomprehensible musings. His vision was still blurry but it was gradually clearing up. He could make out the faces of students who were passing him by, looking at him like he was some kind of retard which, to be honest, he kind of was.

Then he felt a hand on his chin moving his head. His eyes widened when he saw two deep hazel orbs staring at him worriedly, seemingly examining him to see if he was at least alive.

"Uhh… huh?" He croaked out, still dazed after the initial impact, "Wha- what the fuck happened?"

"Uhh… you kind of… took the term crash course a bit too literally there?" The woman crouching in front of him offered, unsure if whether or not what she said even made sense given the circumstances.

Whether it did or not, Natsu almost choked at the statement, "What… who… Mavis, that was bad, Luce. _Very_ bad."

"Shut up." She said, trying her best to bite down a giggle, "You're the one who almost took the lamppost with you, not me." She said, looking at him with a small smile.

He blinked dumbly several times, then tilted his head up to notice that he did actually _bend_ the metal structure with his damn head, "Whoa. I did, didn't I? Huh."

The reaction he got wasn't really what he expected. His ears perked up when he heard one of the sweetest sounds he had ever heard – a sound that he missed hearing for far too long.

She was laughing.

Turning back to the female, Natsu stared at her wide-eyed as she clutched at her sides and cackled, struggling to keep herself on her feet as she was crouching in front of him. Tears begun welling up in the corners of her eyes from laughing too much, and the pinket felt a familiar feeling of utter glee and fondness well up within him at the sight. Finally, for the first time in a long, long while, Natsu was able to come up with a genuine expression for something like this.

It wasn't exactly a _Hi, sorry for being such a douchebag lately_ , but it was the next best thing.

He smiled.

* * *

 _ **A/N#2:** Turns out Mari is actually pretty cool, huh?_


	29. Chapter 29

_**A/N:** Now this was a fucking journey, holy shit. _

_MASSIVE shoutout to **quite-a-riot** for betareading and editing this chapter. Putting up with my bullshit must've been quite the ordeal lmao. You people should seriously go and check her story - **Passive Aggressive Post-Its** \- out, if you haven't already. If you thought this piece of shit was good, that one will blow you out of the water. I'm not kidding._

* * *

 _ **Hangover**_

* * *

Erik Cubellios was never somebody who openly showed distaste for things. Over the years he'd learned to tolerate most things that would inherently piss anyone off, likely the result of hanging around Natsu and dealing with his annoying crap day in and day out. But what he _did_ find borderline psychotic were the utterly atrocious prices in hospital vending machines.

"Who the fuck would pay three bucks for a goddamn Pepsi?" he mused aloud, his eyes scanning the supposedly wide selection of beverages and snacks. A sigh left him.

"This is _so_ not what I'm used to," he muttered to himself. Backing away from the mechanized thief of a machine, Erik's eyes glazed over the surrounding premises. The bland-white covered hallways, the medical coat-adorning doctors and scrub wearing nurses, the sickly patients and the anxious and/or depressed visitors. Everything just seemed so damn familiar it made him feel like a kid again.

It wouldn't be a stretch to say that Lucy's horror-stricken voice over the phone about half an hour ago didn't really surprise him. Okay, it kind of did, but when he was let in on the little piece of information that caused her distress, the redhead could only laugh. A human using nothing _but his own fucking head_ to practically _rip off_ a darn _lamppost_ would have been shocking to anyone but him. He was used to Natsu's bullshit, though, so all he could really do was humor her.

Granted, it wasn't like Erik didn't care for Natsu. He did. More than he himself could stomach at times. What he could decipher from the relatively incomprehensible flurry of words from the blonde on the phone was that Natsu somehow launched himself into a lamppost and ended up passing out. Anyone else would've gone _what the fuck_ and just stood there scratching their heads. Not Erik. By this point he had a _How-to-Natsu_ field degree under his belt which guided him through his next steps.

Luckily for all of them he was with his car. Lately he'd been saving gas money and taking the bus or hitching a ride from Kagura to class if she went in the campus' general direction. So he acted quickly: he found the two of them huddled up next to Clive Center, tossed Natsu over his shoulder, got them into his car and raced over to Magnolia Municipal where their team's designated physician, Warrod Sequen, was doing his rounds. On Lucy's demand the redhead floored the gas pedal and couldn't help but feel almost as though he was a stuntman in one of those cheesy and redundant Fast and Furious movies.

The result of phoning Warrod ahead of time didn't surprise him much either. The physician could arguably be more used to Natsu's _surprise bullshit attack!_ than even Erik was, given how many times the doctor treated him for shit he'd literally brought upon himself.

Then again Erik was, likely, the only one who knew what it felt like to help Natsu get off a fucking flag post he had managed to get stuck on. Or to walk in on him when he was in the middle of a threesome… _with girls he wasn't really supposed to be having threesomes with._

 _What the hell has my life come to?_

Making his way back to Warrod's office, where Lucy was undoubtedly still going out of her mind with worry, Erik had begun deliberating whether it was really worth it to spend _three fucking dollars_ to buy a beverage on account of how dry his throat was. Kagura and he had downed a couple of wine glasses the previous night and he was still nursing a slight hangover. It wasn't anything Natsu-level, but it was enough to give him a light form of cottonmouth.

"Are you okay, dear?" a voice called out to him, making him turn to the source.

 _Score!_ He thought, barely suppressing a grin when an elderly nurse found him. "No, yeah. I'm alright," he said, chuckling nervously.

"Are you sure?" she asked again, looking unconvinced. "You look lost."

"It's just…" Erik began, groaning, "My best friend's in Doctor Sequen's office right now. He hit his head pretty hard and passed out. His girlfriend is waiting for him, worried out of her mind. I thought I'd try cheering her up with a coke or something," he pointed a thumb over his shoulder towards the vending machine, "but everything's just so horribly expensive… if I buy it I won't have any money to cover my bus ticket fare." The redhead let his head slump down in defeat.

"Oh, dear…" the nurse began, the tone of voice she used telling Erik everything he needed to know. "I keep telling them the darn thing is just too expensive. This is a hospital, for Mavis' sake. We shouldn't be stealing from our patients. Here, come with me."

Feigning curiosity, Erik did as he was told. Inwardly, however, the redhead deliberated how utterly evil he was. _But then again three bucks is three fucking bucks_.

The elderly worker led him behind the nurses' station and into a small room that Erik found too familiar. Sure, it wasn't the same one he had basically grown up in, but one hospital was pretty much like another.

"Help yourself to some," the nurse said, smiling up at the basketball player as she pointed to the storage fridge. "I'm sure the other nurses won't mind sharing with a handsome and polite young man such as yourself."

"Are you sure…? I mean, I don't really have any way to pay you back," he said, hesitating.

"Oh think nothing of it. A simple thank you will do!" She gave him a wave as the tiny speaker hanging around her neck screeched out a request for an assist, and left him to pilfer their beverages to his heart's content.

 _Don't need to tell me twice._

"Well, okay…" Crouching down in front of the small fridge, Erik was surprised to see a couple of Red Bull cans stored inside of it. He guessed it belonged to one of the younger nurses making her rounds. Speaking of younger nurses, those energy drinks really reminded him of…

 _Oh, fuck._

Frantically scanning the inside of the fridge, Erik settled for some iced tea he found lying in the very back. Taking the item, he closed the fridge, stood back up, thanked the older woman from the bottom of his heart, and did his best to get the hell out of dodge before…

"What are _you_ doing here?"

Before _that_ happened.

 _Now_ this _is just fucking wonderful._

"Sayla," Erik greeted the beautiful dark-blue-haired female in front of him with an uneasy chuckle. Scratching the back of his head nervously, the redhead began contemplating what he had done to deserve this.

The nurse in question seemed less than amused to see him, judging from the way she tapped her foot against the ground and glared at him. Yep, definitely not a heaping pile of amusement.

"I asked you a question, Cubellios," she demanded, the tone of her voice alone implying he was about to get murdered.

"Oh, you know. Same old, same old," he said, backing away from the nurses' station carefully. All he really wanted to do was get the hell out of there and as far away from this witch of a woman who was very likely imagining all the ways she could cut his balls off.

"Is _Natsu_ here, Cubellios?" she cooed in a sing-song voice, yet her intentions were crystal clear. Her glare swiftly turned borderline homicidal at the thought of the pinket, "I thought I told you two to _never_ show your faces here ever again."

"Come on, Sayla, _baby_ ," Erik said, another nervous laugh leaving him. "Don't be like that. This is a hospital. Healthcare be praised!"

"Get the hell out of here before I stab your eye out with a syringe."

"Getting the hell out of here before you stab my eye out with a syringe – got it," he nodded as he raised his hands up defensively, backing up. He knew better than to turn his back to her.

As soon as he rounded the corner Erik leaned against a wall and let out the pent up breath he didn't realize he had been holding in. Why the hell did Natsu have to think it was a good idea to flirt and/or sleep with every other eye-candy-like female he laid his eyes on? It was bad enough the guy didn't know what the fuck he was getting himself into when he did it on the fly, but to get _Erik_ involved was another matter entirely.

Pocketing the beverage he'd practically nicked from the nurses station, Erik made his way along the hospital's long hallways towards Warrod's office. He had to admit, he kinda missed the feel of them. Despite the usually ridiculous circumstances of _Natsu_ that drew him inside one of these places, he couldn't say he didn't enjoy them. He could practically see his dad walking down the hall in his lab coat, checking his ancient pager and barking out orders to whatever surgical intern he had that week. It reminded him of home. Actually made him homesick – something he couldn't help but chuckle at.

"Yo," Erik said as he approached Lucy, seated in the waiting area next to Warrod's office. He couldn't help but notice how nervous she seemed, fidgeting in her seat. This couldn't be all because of Natsu, could it? _Not like this wasn't a usual occurrence_ , he reasoned, raising a brow. "You alright?"

"Hey. Yeah," she replied, offering the male a wide smile that didn't quite make it to her eyes as he sat down next to her. She dropped her gaze quickly and her fingers fiddled with a corner of the faded vinyl covering her chair that had come loose. "I'm totally fine."

"What's wrong?" he pushed, trusting his intuition. "It almost feels like you're scared to be here or something."

"Natsu might have just split his head open, Erik. I think I'm entitled to some discomfort," she defended, her brows furrowing, but her fingers still tugging away at the fabric.

"Yeah, sure. But this _is_ Natsu we're talking about, yeah?" he countered, still very much unconvinced.

"I'm just not the biggest fan of hospitals, okay?" She finally met his eyes again, with a spark of annoyance flickering in hers. Her shoulders had tensed as her fingers quit moving. She was going on the defensive.

"Why?" Maybe it was the ball player in him, but he couldn't help but keep pushing her.

"It's…" A sigh left her lips as the tension left her again. She took a moment before she spoke. "It's my mother. She was in and out of hospitals when I was a child."

Erik could tell where this was going, and it made him sick to his stomach at the mere thought. Regardless of that, he asked anyway. Really hoping he was wrong. "Where is she now?"

"She passed away when I was thirteen," Lucy stated, her smile turning melancholic at the memory.

" _Shit_ , Lucy," Erik said, instant regret washing over him for not just leaving her the fuck alone. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay, it's been years since it happened," she said. " _You_ seem right at home, though," she added, finding it amusing how he was practically laying in his seat.

"Huh?" He turned to her, having been caught lost in his thoughts for a split second, "Oh, yeah," he laughed, thankful for the change in topics, "I pretty much grew up in one. Dad was a surgeon, mom was mostly out of town for work and stuff. Well, _and_ because Natsu's an idiot. I know this particular place like the back of my hand."

As if to cement this, Erik stood up, pulled his seat back, turned it around, and laid back down, lifting his legs up on the support-railing on the wall, using it as a footrest, "There we go."

"That… isn't really surprising," Lucy said, chuckling at the redhead's antics. "Considering how fast you got to us – _our hero_ – I could tell this wasn't your first rodeo."

"Yeah, yeah, laugh it up," he said through a snort. "you two will be paying me back for the gas before you know it."

"Say," she began, turning to him with some curiosity, "you said your father was a surgeon. And you do seem to fit right in here. Didn't you want to follow in your father's footsteps?"

"Not necessarily," Erik replied with a shrug, glancing at the ceiling absentmindedly. "I mean, yeah, sure, that was the plan. At first, anyway. Then basketball happened in high school. We won back-to-back titles and I sort of realized what I _really_ wanted to do, I guess?" He smiled. "It just felt right."

Those years, aside from his time spent in FTU, were arguably the greatest years in his life. Erik was likely the only member of their team to have started playing ball just for the hell of it, like most sports. He was just naturally athletic and had a good enough brain on his shoulders to be able to efficiently succeed in just about any sport, so the _might as well_ mentality carried him through his first season.

When he reached the finals, things practically did a complete one-eighty on the spot when he experienced something he had truly been missing: victory. The realization that he was standing at the very top, above everyone he walked-over in order to reach that precipice of glory. It made him feel like he had some kind of purpose, as cliché as it sounded. The struggle and grind that he had gone through to reach that point made everything feel so real, so… _fulfilling_.

"Coming to Magnolia just felt like the logical choice considering how many stars this program has produced over the years. Plus I heard Gajeel was going here, too. He and I were on opposing teams back in high school and he was arguably the toughest guy to play against back then. Teaming up with him felt like it was going to be fun."

Lucy hummed as she listened on to Erik's tale continue; how they went on to win the college championship in their freshman year, back when Jellal was still spearheading their offence as a Shooting Guard. The blonde wasn't really aware of the team's history aside from what had been happening during the current year, so to find out that Erik was actually a college champion once, regardless of the fact that he and Gajeel were benchwarmers for the better part of the season, was pretty surprising to her.

"What about Natsu?" She asked, genuinely curious, "He told me he joined in the middle of the season?"

"Yup. Pretty much before winter break, I think. Sometime around then." Erik chuckled to himself as the memory replayed itself in its head. When Lucy gave him an inquiring look, he ventured to explain. "See, Natsu and Gray's situation was similar to mine and Gajeel's. Natsu had just come off taking it all in the inter-high. They faced off against Gray's team and ended up winning. Wasn't really a landslide, but not what you'd consider close either."

"Did something happen between them?" she asked, stifling a laugh. "I mean I understand you and Gajeel got along fine-"

Erik let out a sharp laugh at this. "You underestimate how immature we were back then, Lucy."

"You mean you _didn't_ get along?"

"Is that really so surprising?"

"I just figured since you guys are friends now and stuff, maybe things were the same back then?"

"Oh hell no," Erik replied, trying his hardest to stifle his laughter. He'd learned very early in his life that being loud in a hospital was kind of like being loud in a library – some old bat was going to start hissing at you from a random corner to shut the hell up. "The dude looked like he was going to strangle me half the time we were outside the court, and on-court I was lucky if I didn't catch a ball to the face at least once per half."

" _Wow_ ," Lucy said, bursting into a fit of laughter, "I never thought Gajeel was such a sore loser."

"Eeeeeh…" The male rubbed the back of his head while snickering rather deviously, "when you're constantly reminded of that loss, anyone would lose their cool."

"…you are evil."

"So they tell me," he laughed. "But yeah, Natsu and Gray's situation was pretty much the same. Though Natsu didn't really come to FTU to join the basketball team. Wait… now that I think about it I don't even know _why_ he enrolled here in the first place. I know he wanted to get away from home, just not exactly sure why here in particular."

"So why didn't he join the team from the start?" she asked. "Clearly he's in a league of his own on the court, so why-"

"He was settling in," Erik explained. "Natsu moved out from his dad's and rented out an apartment by himself on a runaway corner in town. He was paying the full college tuition, too, so to manage the upkeep for all of that he was juggling two jobs at a time. Basketball took the back seat when survival was concerned. It was understandable."

"But he still joined," the blonde stated. "How'd that happen?"

"Don't ask me, I haven't the foggiest," Erik replied with a shrug. "We got Gray to go talk to him. The guy was initially _very_ against Natsu joining – you know, the whole _he beat me in the finals_ thing played a part in that."

"Which you undoubtedly never ceased to remind him of."

"Naturally," he said, scoffing as she chuckled. "Gray couldn't deny that Natsu was a great player, though. So eventually the guy came 'round and talked to him, got him to join."

"And you don't know how that happened?"

"No idea. They never talked about it so we stopped asking."

"Huh…" Lucy hummed, trying to think of what the reason for that could have been as the time they spent waiting next to Warrod's office stretched on and on without their notice.

"Y'know…" Erik began, a small smile on his face as he once again treaded down memory lane. "I didn't really like Natsu when he joined. Hell, I pretty much hated him."

"Now _that_ I find hard to believe," Lucy replied. "You two are like the Sherlock and Watson of idiocy. I couldn't imagine you hating each other."

"I'm _obviously_ Sherlock."

" _Of course_."

"Yup," Erik confirmed, groaning as he stretched his arms and legs. "He just… Natsu just seemed too careless to me back then. He joined the team, yeah? But it seemed like he didn't give a shit about what was going on. He didn't show up to team practice, barely ever came to team meetings, never watched any vids with us before a game. It just wasn't working with him, y'know?" He paused. "That, and…"

"And?" she inquired, glancing at him curiously.

"And it pissed me off that someone as talented as him would sit idly by, wasting his potential."

"So you were jealous," Lucy said, grinning slyly when Erik responded with a half-glare.

" _No!_... yes," he sighed. "Wouldn't you be? I mean, come on. Here comes a guy who's clearly better than you, and instead of further cultivating his skills he just sits on his ass and does nothing?"

"That is pretty sound reasoning, I have to admit."

"Right?" A breath left his throat. "I gave him a lot of shit about it back then, too. You know how it is with hazing. Gotta make the freshies suffer just as much as we did."

"I find that hard to picture."

"Yeah? Imagine Natsu and Gray hoisted up on a flagpole 'cause they forgot to bring Laxus his lunch."

Lucy found that it was indeed better to stay quiet inside a hospital when she burst out laughing. The glares she received were borderline venomous, "You're serious?"

"It took me a whole hour before I got them off the damn thing. An _hour_!" he exclaimed, waving his hands. "God forbid I see a freshman forgetting to bring Natsu his lunch now. The kid would be handed off to science class as a guinea pig. _First freshman to step foot on the moon!_ That'd be a sight."

"Anyway, one night I found myself bored out of my mind. Decided to go over to Clive Center to put up some shots. We'd been given keys to the place and passwords to all the alarms so we could get some after-hours practice in if we wanted."

"Natsu told me something about that," Lucy said.

"Yeah. It's something of a tradition here," he nodded. "So I get there, right? And the place wasn't locked up, nor were the alarms prepped. I go into the gym and imagine my reaction when I see Natsu there. The guy was sweating like a pig, dozens of basketballs around him. He was practicing his dribble, his shots, played mental one-on-ones, things like that. It surprised me, at first, but then I found out Natsu often did things like that."

"Explain."

"Well he couldn't really show up to practice 'cause he was working and stuff. What little time he didn't spend at work or sacrifice for class he spent improving himself at the gym," Erik said with a snort. "Mavis, I was an idiot. Should've known that basket brain would be doing something like that. I approached him, apologized, got to know him better, all of that stuff. We started hanging more, practicing together. Since I had a car I was able to get him home faster. It helped him manage his time more efficiently since he lived about an hour from campus, if you took the bus or train. Eventually we'd gotten so good people started calling us the best duo FTU had seen in years."

"That…" Lucy paused before continuing, "that sounds like a high standard to live up to."

"Trust me, it was," Erik confirmed. "The media was all over us in a heartbeat. You wouldn't think it now, but college basketball is pretty damn popular in Fiore. The players… while we aren't League-player levels of fame, we're apparently pretty famous. Anyhow, that season ended up in our favor. We faced off against Tartaros," Erik couldn't help pausing at the mention of the school, his eyes instinctively looking around to make sure Sayla wasn't anywhere close, "in the finals and holy crap were they a strong team. We barely won, to be perfectly honest with you, but in the end we got that damn trophy."

"So you actually won it all," Lucy said with a smile, trying to imagine what Natsu looked like when they won. The smile on his face… Lucy thought she likely hadn't seen him smile like that. Ever. Maybe never would, considering the direction their relationship had been taking recently.

"You mean you didn't know?" Erik questioned, surprised. She shook his head as a response and Erik couldn't help the short laugh that left his throat, "Geez, woman. What rock were you living under?"

"And next year?" the blonde suddenly asked, once again piquing the male's curiosity. "How'd that go?"

Erik wasn't oblivious to how Lucy dodged the question. Being what one would call the mediator in the team, he was inherently required to possess good people-analysis skills. That was part of the reason why Natsu and himself managed to forge and maintain a friendship in the first place. The pinket wasn't someone who easily disclosed information in regards to himself, so it was up to Erik to read into the guy to find out what was going on in his life.

It seemed as though a very similar approach was necessary for Lucy, and while he did consider himself as her friend, Erik thought better than to poke his nose into her business. Especially after the shit he'd stepped in with her mom. He'd leave that to Natsu – a thought that he hoped would actually come true.

Speaking of Natsu...

"Wait, what time is it?" he asked.

"Uhh," Lucy stammered as she fished out her phone, "Two-forty. Why?"

Several _very_ explicit words left the redhead's lips, "I got class in twenty minutes. Class I _really_ can't afford to skip more than I already have," he explained, feeling tired just from the thought. "You mind if I head out first?"

"Oh, yeah. Sure. Go ahead. I'll make sure he doesn't do anything stupid," Lucy replied, offering him a small smile.

"You sure?" he asked, slightly surprised. "I mean, the two of you aren't really on good terms and all that, as I recall. I wouldn't mind staying." She shook her head.

"No, it's fine. Really. Before he passed out Natsu said something about wanting to hang out and talk anyway, so I'm pretty sure we'll be going somewhere. _If_ he's okay."

"Well, alright. If you say so," he said. "Thanks. And don't worry, he'll be fine. Natsu's gotten his head cracked open both proverbially and literally so many times it makes me question how the damn thing's still on his shoulders," he said, grinning when she giggled. "Also, Lucy?"

"Yes?" she hummed, looking up at him.

"Do go easy on him, yeah? I know Natsu can be a handful sometimes, but he's trying."

"I'll keep that in mind," she said, chuckling.

"Oh, right, before I forget. Listen, can you," he fished out the bottle of iced-tea he snatched from the nurses station, "give this to him? I intended to drink it myself, but completely forgot about it while I was talking. I'll just get some more on campus."

"Sure."

"Thanks," he said. He then gave her a salute and made his way back to his car and campus.

Lucy, on the other hand, remained in the hospital. She waited for about ten more minutes before she was finally called into the office by Warrod's gruff, yet at the same time soft-spoken, voice.

"You may come in."

"How is he?" Lucy asked as she came through the door, worried eyes darting between the stretcher-seated Natsu who had a bandage around his head and the doctor who was comfortably resting on his own chair.

"I'm fine, Lucy," Natsu said, giving the girl a wave and a smile.

"Light it may be, but a concussion _hardly_ constitutes fine. You're like a walking bundle of idiocy, Natsu, I swear," the doctor chided, rubbing his eyelids tiredly as he tapped his fingers against a device similar to an iPad – likely hospital-issued to access medical records portably - scrolling through what appeared to be an extensive list.

"Tell me something I don't know, doc," The pinket replied with a roll of his eyes, causing the blonde who was approaching him to chuckle somewhat nervously.

"Here. Erik left this as a get-well… thing?" she said, somewhat unsure herself as she handed him the small bottle of tea.

Natsu blinked several times, clear confusion evident in his eyes as he took the offered item.

"Thanks? What's he doing here anyway? I mean, he's not with you?"

"Left. Had class. He got us here after you blacked out," Lucy replied. Giving him a quick once over, she tilted her head with some worry. "Don't you remember?"

"Not a bit," Natsu said with a shrug as he pushed the offered item against the side of his head. The contact ended up making him wince when the lamppost-obliterating-projectile pulsated with pain.

"Is…" The blonde turned to Warrod. "Is he going to be alright?"

The older male scratched his chin in thought, deliberating over the highlighted date in Natsu's medical record.

"As I said, the concussion was light – nothing too serious," he explained, drawing some form of relief from both the blonde and pinket at the revelation. "However I'd highly advise sitting out the next game-"

" _I'm playing_ ," Natsu declared suddenly, interrupting the physician mid-sentence. The unusual amount of determination in his voice surprised even Lucy, yet Warrod only sighed, having already expected this.

"I figured as much," he stated as he rubbed his face again. "Alright. I'll let you play, but _only_ if you promise me bedrest until then." Warrod glanced over his shoulder to check the calendar hanging loosely above his desktop. "You still have several days until the match. If you take it easy you should have plenty of time to recover by then."

"Fuckin' A," Natsu said, grinning at the older male who snorted in response.

Lucy, on the other hand, didn't seem as convinced, "Are you sure you can't sit this one out? Better safe than sorry, right? It's only one game, too…"

"It's _the_ game, Luce," Natsu said, acknowledging her worries with a smile yet decidedly pursuing his choice nonetheless. "We're playing Sabertooth next. I _absolutely_ _can't_ miss this game."

Lucy didn't need to recognize the adamancy of his tone or the strength beneath his gaze to realize what that one singular statement meant. As soon as she was told who their next opponent was she simply smiled at the pinket.

"I'll be there," she said.

"You better be," he replied, offering her a grin.

"Alright, you two. Get out of here. I have other patients to check up on," Warrod said with a wave of his hand, motioning towards the door.

"Thanks, doc. Really," Natsu said as Lucy helped him to his feet.

"How about you stop thanking me and just keep yourself from getting hurt? I know that's a tall order for _you_ , but it would make both your and my days much less stressful."

"Noted."

"Thank you, doctor," Lucy added. Warrod nodded his farewell as the duo made their way outside the hospital and straight for the bus stop. Just as Natsu had said, the two of them needed to talk, and they knew only one place that could give them some peace and quiet at this time of the day.

Eclipse.

The familiar guitar strums from _Morning Riders_ by _The Temperance Movement_ made Natsu's ears tingle in delight as they found their way inside. Natsu held the door for Lucy as a smile took over him at the sight of the all too familiar interior.

"Mavis, this place alone makes me want to get a drink," Natsu said, shaking his head with that smile still very much intact.

Lucy glanced at him over her shoulder, "Wouldn't that… you know?"

Natsu rolled his eyes, "FYI, I'm not an alcoholic, Luce. It's not like I get cravings or withdrawals when I don't drink."

"Can't this be considered a craving though?" she asked, turning to him fully. He thought about it for a second.

"Fair point," he said. Was he _actually_ addicted to alcohol? It wasn't like he drank just to drink anymore. It was a coping mechanism at one time or another for him. A coping mechanism he managed to shed relatively easily. "Naw. I'm good," he said. "think I have a few more benders in me before I can't let go of the bottle anymore."

"That's not funny," Lucy said, giving him a disapproving look.

The pinket shrugged before making his way to the bar. His onyx eyes darted around, looking for familiar faces he could try avoiding. Only a few visitors were present, some in couples, others in small groups of friends huddled around their tables of which the selection was wide during this time of day.

"Welcome to Eclipse! What can I get for you- oh, hey Natsu. Lucy." The duo smiled at the approach of Ikaruga who greeted them with a salute, "Fancy seeing the two of you here- what in the _hell_ happened to you _this_ time?" the bartender asked, covering her mouth in an attempt to stifle a laugh at the expense of the bandage on Natsu's forehead.

"Don't ask. Please," the pinket pleaded, his head slumping in defeat.

"Did you smash your head against a wall or something? Geez," she guessed, a grin twisting her lips at how Natsu glared at her.

"That's not that far from the truth, actually," Lucy commented with a chuckle.

"Not you too, Luce!"

Both females ended up snickering at Natsu's expense.

"So, what brings you on this fine day?" She grinned as she focused on Lucy. "Not taking after his habits are you?"

"Real subtle there, Ruga," Natsu said.

"No, not at all." the blonde replied, giggling. "We're just hanging out. Nothing too fancy."

Ikaruga hummed, clearly curious, yet she decidedly kept what questions she had to herself. She was privy to the situation between the would-be couple, but figured she might as well let them handle themselves.

"Well, the two armchairs in the corner are free. You need the menus?"

"It would be appreciated," Lucy confirmed.

"Alright. There you go." She gave them one each. "Get yourselves sorted and I'll be with you in a second. Need anything on the spot?"

"Coffee. The usual," Natsu said.

"A latte for me," Lucy added.

"Any preference?"

Lucy thought about it for a second, "Hazelnut."

"Coming right up!"

As they sat down at their designated seats, Lucy turned to Natsu, "See, even she's calling you an alcoholic."

"She's a bartender, for Mavis' sake. The fuck did you expect?" he defended, making the blonde laugh lightly.

The song was promptly changed to _Theory of a Deadman's_ _Easy to Love You_ by Ikaruga, to which the reply was a feral glare from Natsu. Luckily for him Lucy was completely oblivious to the music as her eyes were gazing at the many guitars hung on the bar's walls, some of them having been signed by famous guitar players.

"Woah. I knew they had a lot of decorations here, but I never really noticed just how much," she said, seemingly mesmerized.

Natsu chuckled, "Yeah. I think they have one signed by Jimi Hendrix, too. A guitar, I mean."

"Wait, _seriously?_ "

"Yeah," he said, laughing at her bewildered reaction. "An original, too. Precht's old as shit like that. Keeps it in his office. Way too valuable to hang out in the open, you know?"

"I can't really blame him," she said, smiling, "if I had one I'd likely put fifteen locks on it."

"And a bitchin' Umbrella Corporation-like laser defense mechanism," Natsu agreed.

The next five minutes the couple spent in relative silence, waiting on their coffee. It was awkward to say the least. The conversations which felt long overdue were also the ones that were the most difficult to start, much less fully follow through with. Even when they received their hot beverages they sat in silence and simply enjoyed the taste for a bit. Eventually, however, as it so often happened, Natsu got fed up with the awkward silence and decided to break the ice.

"So…" he began, yet quickly found that Lucy had a very similar idea to his.

"How have you been?" she asked suddenly, making the basketball player raise a brow.

"How have I been, huh...?" He breathed out solemnly, thinking back on the days spent after his supposed apology to the girl when he was done staring down her taser-wielding roommate. Now that was something he'd rather forget altogether. "I've been alright, all things considered," he said, purposefully leaving out the fact that he wasn't at all holding it together. Natsu knew that Lucy was the type of person who would blame herself if he admitted that he felt like shit. And it was his cross to bear as he did bring this on himself. "You?"

"I've been better," she admitted, her eyes glancing out the window to the sun-reflecting river next to them. "Things have been… _strange_ recently," she explained. "In between classes, work, and all of these other things I've just felt like my life has been so disorganized lately."

"Like nothing's in your control anymore?" he asked, giving her a half-smile as she made eye-contact with him.

"Exactly," she agreed with a nod of her head. It was peculiar how different yet at the same time very similar their situations were. The funniest thing about this whole mess was that it didn't come about by means of external forces. Natsu and Lucy were the ones who created these circumstances and at times it felt stupid how they were the ones making things difficult for themselves.

"Yeah, I can relate," Natsu said, taking a sip out of his coffee.

"Say…" she suddenly began, the blatant carefulness in her voice making him think she was navigating a minefield while in conversation with him. "Is it true you've been having panic attacks?"

Natsu blinked once. Twice. Thrice. Until eventually the question registered in his brain and something inside him clicked. _Aw, fuck,_ he thought, feeling the need for some kind of gesture to emphasize how tired he was, yet at the same time realizing he couldn't do as such.

"Yeah," he confirmed, deciding to keep it simple.

Lucy very subtly tilted her head to the side, examining the pinket. The usual cheerfulness and laid back attitude that she had known him for had all but evaporated in the past month or so. Instead he seemed tense, less sure of himself. That alone was enough to tell her that something was off beyond the issues they had with one another. But she had never expected it to go to a stage where he would have genuine anxiety. Natsu Dragneel was literally the last person one would expect to have such issues, hence why this entire ordeal came as such a shock.

"How bad were they, if I may ask?" she said. Natsu noticed the shred of guilt in both her voice and the way she turned to look at anything else but him after she spoke. Just as he had thought, Lucy immediately started blaming herself when he confirmed that certain piece of information for her. Gods how he wished he could pummel the idiot who thought telling her was a good idea. It was obvious to everyone who knew either of them that she would blame herself, so why the fuck would anyone be so damn stupid?

"You want the watered down version or the actual one?" he asked, chuckling to himself afterwards as he shook his head. "Who am I kidding? I can't lie to you," he admitted.

Lucy smiled at the confession as she watched him. Despite what they had put each other through, she was glad the two of them could still share a semi-decent and honest conversation. At least _that_ didn't change between them.

"It… it got pretty bad, Luce. Not gonna lie," Natsu said, "That time when I came to see you? You know… after the shitstorm that was that one night at the club?" She nodded. "I was having one when, well, when you hugged me. I thought you realized it and that's why you did what you did."

"I could barely breathe, let alone speak," he began. "When I woke up after what I'd done to you it took me about a week until I could properly talk to anyone, excluding you. No matter how much I hated myself after what I had done to you… to _us_ , you were the only person who I could see myself talking to. The only person I _wanted_ to talk to," a laugh devoid of any type of humor left his lips. "Guess I'm just selfish that way."

Lucy didn't say anything. She simply listened and tried to understand. Tried to put herself in his shoes. He explained how he took anxiety medicine and later decided to once again go cold turkey and survive on his own, how it took everything he had not to seem weak in front of others, and how he had become forcefully addicted to basketball again in order to sort himself out. She remained silent throughout. Lucy realized she didn't need to say anything. It just wasn't necessary as Natsu was filling her in on what's been up – the lives they led after Tenrou were completely foreign to them now, and she realized that these weren't only his confessions, but perhaps his way of bringing her up to speed so they could resume the friendship they had before.

"When did they start? The panic attacks?" She finally asked, breaking her silence when Natsu had grown quiet, taking a pause to collect his thoughts. No matter how much she wanted to know what had been going on in his life these past couple of weeks, her worry for his well-being overshadowed her curiosity. That wouldn't really come as a surprise to anyone.

"You mean in my entire life?" he asked, and she nodded. "Anxiety hit me somewhere around my last year of high school, panic attacks began last year," he said. "The anxiety I could handle. It wasn't anything too bad. Stopped when I moved to Magnolia anyway. But when the attacks started was when shit got… _bad_."

"What caused them?" she asked.

"Geez, Luce. I thought _we_ were here to talk. Feels like I'm being interrogated right now," he said, half-joking. Natsu knew that he would have to fess up about shit that he really didn't want to talk about. But damn, just the thought of it pissed him off as he was forced to remember times when he was weak. Beyond weak. Pathetic even.

"Sorry, it's just that I hardly really know anything about you, if you think about it," she reasoned. "I mean, you've never told me anything about yourself. All I know is what other people tell me."

A gruff sigh left Natsu's throat, feeling the sting in her words, "I… yeah. I guess you're right. I never did really talk about any of it." He nodded. "And that's because, if I'm gonna be completely one hundred with you, this is just difficult to talk about."

Natsu paused, collecting his thoughts so he could properly retell the story. On Lucy's part, the blonde simply waited, tasting her coffee as she watched him with a feeling of inquiry. She knew this was hard on Natsu – he had made it plenty obvious in the past. But being this close to someone – regardless of what happened between them in the past – and barely knowing where they were coming from was just as hard.

"Well, I guess it started when last year began," he began, "Erik and I had just come off of a championship. Man, I can't tell you how fucking amazing that felt. I couldn't even begin to describe it. Winning a high school championship was one thing – especially since I got to dunk on that stripping cunt Gray – but winning the college league, and in my freshman year? Damn. That's a feeling I likely won't ever forget," he explained, a smile making his lips twitch upwards at the memory. "That's kinda when I met my ex, Flare," he said and blinked several times as realization struck him. He turned to Lucy. "You might know her, actually. Flare Corona? She was in StuCo. Dropped out a couple of months before graduating."

"Flare… where have I… oh! The weird event coordinator, right?"

Natsu bit back a laugh, "I guess that's one way of looking at her, yeah," he said, chuckling. "She was the event coordinator then too. After we won she hosted this huge-ass party for us. Since I was still working here," he motioned all around himself, "she asked if I could talk to Precht, see how much it would cost to rent the entire place out."

"Then what?"

"What you'd normally expect, to be honest," Natsu admitted. "We started talking more and more about the party and I ended up helping her host the damn thing. I think that was the first time I was here as a client, actually. Anyway, since then we started talking to each other more, hanging out, things like that. Flare was something of an addict to parties. Every other Friday you'd see her either at Eclipse or Tenrou, sometimes both places in the same evening. Being bored over the summer weekends I ended up tagging along. One thing led to another and we were in for a _very_ awkward one night stand. Or, well, that's what we thought it was going to be… waking up in someone else's room with my head inside a bucket filled with _I don't even want to fucking know_ wasn't one of my finest moments."

Listening too intently for her own good, Lucy almost choked at the image of Natsu hunched over with his head inside a bucket, snoring away absentmindedly, "Oh my God," she said, trying to compose herself, "that… _Seriously_?"

"Yup," he said, stifling a laugh. "Suffice it to say I had a _little_ too much to drink that night."

"Not really surprising."

"Oh, hey. She has jokes now," Natsu replied, snorting at her giggle. "Anyway, long story short we got together after that. Kinda felt right at the time, y'know? Since StuCo took over organizing home games for us I saw her more or less every day, so we kind of, I'unno… guess you could say we clicked," he smiled. "I can still remember her yelling at freshmen or people outside uni dragging mud into the gym. Couldn't really blame her though – it was annoying as balls."

"She sounds like a good person… at least I get that from the way you've been talking about her," Lucy said, noticing how often Natsu had cracked a smile.

"She _was_ … or rather I guess you could say I _thought_ she was. I still have no idea. Everything became kind of a blur when Zeref moved into town."

"Your brother?" Lucy asked with a raised brow, remembering the… _conversation_ she had with him when he appeared practically out of nowhere next to her doorstep before the night everything went to shit. She could tell the guy was an odd one and wanted to tell the pinket about it, but she decided to first find out what he had to say about his sibling, "What happened?"

A _very_ distraught breath left Natsu's mouth at the memory of his older brother. These were memories he would have definitely rather kept the lid on.

"What you have to understand about my brother, Lucy, is that he was – _is_ – a maniac," he explained, finding it difficult to talk about him. He had spent so much time trying to block these memories out… having to talk about them again made him regret this conversation altogether, but he knew he needed to explain things to her, "Just talking about him makes my skin crawl."

"To understand my brother – well, to _try_ to understand him, anyway – you need to know some stuff about our childhood," he explained, glancing at her with some mirth. "The way my mother died… he blames me for it. Hell, _I_ blame _myself_ for it." Natsu took yet another second to compose himself.

"Back when we were kids we lived about forty miles outside Magnolia – in the countryside. My dad still lives there. We used to play on the streets a lot and stuff – no cars were around anyway since it was such a remote area. It was your typical small-time village in the middle of fuck-knows-where where everybody knew everybody, y'know?"

"This one time I was playing football with some of my friends. Zeref was there too – it was his job to look after me since he was the older brother, as the adage goes. He was reading a book. Something by Shakespeare, I think. I can't recall. Anyway, the ball got kicked way out of the field and without really looking I ran to get it back… Mavis, I should've just left the damn ball and minded my own fucking business."

"There was some fog, too, so I couldn't see the headlights until they were right up in my face screaming _fuck you in particular_. The driver hadn't noticed in time to hit the brakes either, and my brother was too into his damn book to notice where I had gone. Or _if_ I had gone," he looked up at the blonde, giving a somewhat melancholic smile her way when he noticed an expression that screamed _I'm so sorry, Natsu…_ "It should've been me, Luce. _I_ should've been the one hit by that stupid fucking car. But… my mother, I… I still don't fucking know how she got there. But she did. Before I knew what the fuck happened I was pushed out of the way and ended up hitting my head against the pavement and passing out. When I came to I was already in the hospital and, well… mom wasn't there anymore."

"Gods, Natsu, I…" Lucy croaked out, feeling like she was about to burst into a volley of sobs.

Noticing this, Natsu gave her a half-smile.

"It's okay, Luce. It's been years since then. Do I miss my mother? Every day, night, and whatever the fuck else there is. But I'm fine now. Honestly." He took a sip from his coffee, noticing that he had talked for so long it started getting cold, "My dad took it the hardest out of all three of us, I think. He never really was the same again. He kind of… forgot all about us, y'know? I remember you saying that when your mother died your father forgot that you were hurt as well?" She nodded. "Well it was pretty much the same situation here. He shut off. Left us to do whatever the hell we wanted."

"And your brother?"

"He… I don't know. Before he went batshit crazy my brother was actually one of the kindest people I'd ever met. He took after our mother, after all. Was kind of a wimp, now that I think about it. So when something cracked inside him… he was like a different person," Natsu explained. "Never stopped blaming me for it. _Promised_ that I would suffer as much as he and our dad did... as much as _she_ did. Since then he's made my life pretty much a living 3D-realistic fucking hell. He'd find ways to mess with me – often painfully. I can't even recall how many times he'd done something that almost got me killed, to be honest."

"But… what about your father?" Lucy asked, her mind struggling to imagine a scenario where any father would remain ignorant to this, no matter how lost he was. Even her father wouldn't let anyone hurt her, despite his own actions that to anyone else would've stated the contrary.

"He saw all of it," Natsu confirmed, nodding. "And I've no idea what he thought. He probably justified it in his own head. That's what he did before I left. As years went by Zeref's shit just kept getting worse and worse, but my dad never really could do anything about it, or so he said. We were both his children and he said he loved us equally." Natsu grimaced. "That's the reason I left home as soon as I was done with high school. I just couldn't stay there anymore."

"And with Flare?"

"With Flare… When Zeref moved in to Magnolia he had established himself in the media. Apparently he'd gotten some form of communication degree during the year that I wasn't home – don't ask me how, as far as I know the guy paid someone off and is riding on false credentials. Bottom line - he was hired. He started out digging up random bullshit about me and spreading it all around the news. A lot of people thought I was going to shoot for the League Draft after a back-to-back championship, so that was intended to hurt my chances of getting in."

"Did it?"

"I never tried it, but oh yeah. It would have. Massively." Natsu rolled his eyes. "I swear Facebook was brighter with buzz than our Milky Way in space with all the media attention I was getting. Not to mention that Zeref managed to actually spin everything so damn believably… hell, even _Erik_ had to double-check with me on some facts. That was fucking annoying. But to be honest I didn't pay too much attention to it. I just played ball and did my own thing."

"Is that it?"

"I wish," he said, giving a sharp _hah_ at the question. "When my brother realized the approach he took wasn't exactly working, he tried something different. He, uhh…" Natsu cut himself off abruptly, his face contorting in a way Lucy very rarely witnessed.

"He what?" She asked, seemingly on the edge of her seat. While it was crippling to hear such things happening between siblings – not to mention Natsu, of all people – she was still interested. More than she ever thought she'd be.

"Ah, fuck it. No easy way to say it anyway. He violated her, Luce," Natsu said with a ghastly voice, making her eyes go as wide as dinner plates. He inhaled a deep breath. "I had actually begun thinking of proposing to this woman, y'know? Not like right then and there or anything like that, but after she graduated, which was supposed to be that exact year." He rubbed his temples, trying to get back on track. "Anyway, one night I got a text from an unknown number. Said it was from Flare, apparently she wanted to see me in some out of the way bar I hadn't been in yet. Supposedly they had some new shots we hadn't tried."

"That… sounds shifty," Lucy said.

"You're telling me. I didn't think anything of it at the time, though – Flare was what you would call a connoisseur of alcohol. If something new was on the menu – anywhere – she _had_ to try it. It was fun. Stupid as fuck, but still fun. In any case, I get to that bar, and I can't see her anywhere. I decided to call her, try to find out what the fuck was going on. Before I could, though, I see my brother, smiling at me as he walks out of the restroom. I still regret not smashing a bar stool over his head at that precise moment. Would do it too, if I had the chance to turn back time." He glared at nothing in particular. "Over and over. And over. And over." A sigh left him. "When I got the stomach to check the restroom, lo and behold, there she was. My girlfriend, who I thought about marrying, trying her best to clean another man's semen off her fucking clothes. I just wanted to set that entire shitshow of a place on fire, honestly."

"That…" Lucy cut herself off. The image that Natsu described played itself in her mind's eye like a movie and she couldn't help but find herself not only disgusted by the entire scene, but feeling an immense amount of pity for the pinket. "I… I don't even know what to say. That's a lot to take in."

"You don't have to say anything, Luce. Just let me finish," he said. "Might as well finish the story till the end, right?" She nodded at his words, prompting him to continue. "So after I saw what I saw, I just ran out. I don't know, I felt so angry and betrayed I couldn't think straight. I just wanted to find that bastard and break him until he wasn't breathing anymore. I would've killed him. I'm not even exaggerating when I say I would've murdered him in cold blood and not felt a single shred of regret. After all of it went down, I just… I just shut down. Kind of like our father did, I guess. I couldn't tell right from wrong anymore. Hell, I didn't even want to wake up in the morning, let alone go outside and see people. The woman I loved, and thought loved me back just as much, had just been fucked by my older brother and I honestly didn't know how to take that."

"Did you try talking to her?" Lucy questioned, despite how stupid it sounded. "This whole situation just seems off. I mean, why would she send the text message to begin with?"

"Fuck knows. As far as I knew this likely wasn't the first time she'd fucked somebody before meeting with me in the first place and my brother simply used her to his advantage so he could mess with me. He probably lasted longer than she thought he would, who the fuck knows? I don't, and frankly I don't care. She dropped out a few weeks after it all happened so it wasn't like I could really talk to her even if I wanted to anyway. Not sure why. It wasn't like I really told anyone what happened - besides Erik. I still had some shred of respect for her despite myself and didn't want to ruin her life like she ruined mine by telling everyone what happened, regardless of what she did to me. Haven't seen her since."

"Is that… when the panic attacks started happening?"

"Right you are." He nodded. "It was just… having someone you thought was _the one_ betray you like that, it… it made it difficult for me to trust _anyone_. I started thinking everyone was against me – the bullshit media didn't help with that either. So I started drinking. And drinking. And drinking. When that wasn't helping anymore I started sleeping around. Not something I'm proud of, but at the time I couldn't see any other relief. Then Erik forced me to focus on basketball. I don't know how he does it, but he always seems to find the right way to handle things. Then again me being me I took things to the extremes and ended up fracturing my fucking ankle and we lost last year's game. Fast forward a couple of months and you arrive at this year," he finished before downing the rest of his coffee as though it was symbolic of the conversation.

Lucy, on the other hand, was trying to take everything in. A myriad of thoughts were running in her brain at light speed and she struggled to make sense of it all. No matter what the blonde thought Natsu went through, she never expected anything like this. A mother lost, a father that abandoned him, a brother that was out to ruin his life, and a woman that not only broke his heart but stomped on it and left him to pick up the pieces by himself. It was tragic on too many levels. She never thought things like this happened in the first place. She had a crap childhood herself, that was true, but Natsu's was miles from what she experienced. His was something she thought she'd only see in tragedy movies, for Mavis' sake.

What she did know, however, was that she was going to hold out on telling him about Zeref talking to her. She'd tell him, just not at this particular moment. He didn't need even more of a reason to resent his brother.

"And there you have it," Natsu suddenly said, bringing her out of her conflicted thoughts almost as though he realized she was struggling. "The _mysterious past_ of Natsu _Salamander_ Dragneel – who _everybody_ wanted to hang with, might I add – all out into the open. Gods it felt strange talking about this."

"Natsu, I-"

"It's a relief, though," he quickly interjected before she could finish her sentence, confusing her with the statement. "I've honestly never really told anyone about this. Talking to someone, it… despite bringing back some pretty horrible memories, it feels like a weight off my shoulders." _I've been learning that a lot lately, too_ , he thought, but left that part out.

"First of all," Lucy began after a few minutes, tripping over her own words while trying to phrase this properly, "I just wanted to say that you're probably the strongest person I've met, Natsu. To be able to handle this, regardless of what means you used, and to come out of it relatively emotionally stable, it's… astounding."

"Emotionally stable? Have you met _me_?" he said, chuckling as she glared at him.

"You know what I mean. Shut up, I'm trying here," she borderline growled, enlarging his smile as a result.

"I know, Luce. I know. Thank you," he said softly, letting his head slump down ever so slightly.

"Second…" She breathed out, outstretching her arm to take his hand into hers. "I don't care what your brother said, what happened to your mother _was not your fault_."

Natsu's eyes widened as the words left her mouth. He stared at the ground, fighting to find the words to formulate a reply.

"Aw, shit," he said with what was clearly raw emotion. He knew Lucy was going to say something, _anything_ , and he was aware of the fact that whatever she said it would hit him harder than anyone else possibly could. But to say something about his mother? Even when he revealed all this other crap to her? He didn't know what to think or feel, let alone what to say. "I… Thanks, Luce. Really," he managed to croak out, giving her hand a squeeze as their fingers intertwined. Lucy smiled and replied with the very same gesture.

"I, uhh… listen," she began, drawing his attention, "I can't really fix anything that happened to you in the past."

"You don't really need to though..."

"Hush," the blonde _commanded_ , drawing a hastily mouthed _okay_ from the basketball player. "As I was saying, I can't really make the past right, but I can help you with what's happening right now." Natsu raised an eyebrow at this, but remained quiet. "You and Erik… you two have been on the ropes lately, haven't you?"

Whatever he was expecting, it wasn't this. This feud between him and his roommate seemed so insignificant in the grand scheme of things he couldn't help but roll his eyes, "Come on, Lucy. Really?"

"Yes, _really_ ," she said adamantly. "So, I was thinking… how about we have dinner at… I don't know, your place? Tomorrow? You and I, Erik and Kagura."

"What, like a double date?"

"Yes… yeah. I guess you could call it that," she paused, collecting the courage to ask what had been on her mind ever since earlier in the afternoon. "But aren't you seeing that other girl, though?"

This caught him off-guard.

"What? Who? Dimaria? _No!_ " he defended, flabbergasted. "Did you seriously come here with me thinking I was dating some other girl?"

"At the end of the day I'm your friend, right?" the female stated-asked, giving him a very serious look. "Even if you were seeing her that doesn't change _that_ about us, does it?"

"No… I guess it doesn't," he admitted, smiling for what he considered his own selfish reasons.

"Besides," she added, a sigh leaving her. "You went weeks thinking I was seeing Loke, so I'd say justice has been served."

This took a moment for Natsu's brain to wrap around.

"Wait… Mavis, I've been saying that way too fucking often lately. You're _not_ seeing him?"

"He's a friend, Natsu. _Just_ a friend."

He'd be lying if he said he didn't feel a massive amount of relief wash over him when she said this.

"…knowing how you are with friends, it makes sense why you looked like you were about to murder me when I almost took his head off."

"You _did_ kind of deserve it."

"Touché…" He sighed, thinking things over, purposefully ignoring the fact that they were still holding hands in order keep her in his grip a tad bit longer. "Alright. I'm in. Let's do this," he said, smiling.

"Perfect. Eight PM?"

"Works for me," he grinned before something hit him. "Wait – _again_ \- how the fuck did you know something was up between Erik and me?"

"Oh, you know… boys talk to boys, boys talk to girls, and girls talk to girls. It's a vicious cycle, trust me."

"People, man. Fucking people."


	30. Chapter 30

_**A/N:** Go thank **quite-a-riot** for this. She's been kicking my ass all summer long to update._

* * *

 _ **Hangover**_

* * *

 _ **Think there's something wrong with my heart.**_

 _ **Feels like it's been taken apart,**_

 _ **Left out with the junk in the street.**_

 _ **I don't know what happened to me.**_

Lucy smiled to herself as she hummed along with the mellow beat. If Brandish wasn't going to use those new speakers, she sure as hell wasn't going to pass them up. Plus, her roommate was in Crocus again, so it wasn't like she'd ever know. Everybody needed homework breaks right? Hell yeah.

 _ **GETTING HIGHER THAN A MOTHERFUCKER**_

 _ **Feel like life is passing me by,**_

 _ **Oh Lord.**_

She'd never been a fan of hip hop really. Just didn't really appeal to her. But the playlist Natsu had sent her on Soundcloud had happy memories for her; Natsu had played this particular playlist in the background while they hung out over break. Her slight smile widened. That was one seriously great winter break. She turned up the volume. No time like the present to say a little indirect _hi there_ to her neighbors.

 _ **Six in the morning, I'm still going, I don't wanna come down from my high,**_

 _ **Oh Lord.**_

Closing her eyes she just sat back to the music, her laptop in her lap. Maybe she had just been listening to the wrong kind of hip hop. This was pretty damn good.

 _ **Floating, flying, I'm just tryna get away from all the shit on my mind,**_

 _ **Oh Lord.**_

This wasn't the first time something like this had happened. Recently, she seemed to be doing and liking a lot of things she previously hadn't…most of which were mysteriously connected to Natsu. Her go-to playlist was almost five hours long now. She really needed to divvy that up, but just couldn't seem to keep up with Natsu's suggestions. And don't even get her started on the little _yet-to-watch_ list she had in her head. She had too many TV shows pinned on Netflix to count. She could probably watch two a day and still not be done before graduation.

 _ **Wishing I could take a pill to erase the bullshit that I got in my life,**_

 _ **Oh Lord.**_

The lyrics were explicit – rap and suggested by Natsu? With explicit language? Oh man she surely hadn't expected that. Yet the downtempo beat combined with the ambient female vocals created a contrast that had her ears tingling and chills running down her spine. Definitely a good pick on Natsu's part. He was well on his way to converting her.

Now if only Natsu would actually pick up a book or two the way she did. That would likely do everyone a favor.

She chuckled at the thought.

Her hazel eyes darting to the lower right of her laptop's screen, Lucy realized she still had a couple or so hours until Natsu actually needed help in cooking whatever the heck it was he decided to serve them during dinner. He was pretty excited over the phone so she assumed things would work out alright… hopefully. Then again you never knew with him. It might just turn out to be something explosive when all was said and done.

A mixture between a giggle and a sigh left her lips at that.

Lucy turned back to her laptop and glared at the opened word document in front of her. No, she was seriously done with homework for the day. All of these business laws could go screw themselves into chlamydia – Gods only knew how she wished FTU wasn't a liberal arts university. She understood the appeal, but the fact that it didn't offer any other relevant-ish courses was close to murdering her.

Thus she turned to Facebook. _Shocking_.

She scrolled through her news feed, occasionally stopping to giggle at a meme or two shared by either Natsu or Erik, sometimes letting her eyes glaze over some events that were happening in her area, things like that. Knowing what was going on around one's self never hurt anybody, she figured.

Then she momentarily stopped on a post by FTU's Basketball Team, the admin having shared an edited design used to advertise their upcoming match up. It was a picture of both Fairy Tail and Sabertooth's teams, five players each in different corners of the picture, with a snarling Natsu and some cocky-looking blond from Sabertooth's team being the highlight of the ad.

The picture had gotten tons of likes. Even judging by what she was used to seeing. Now that the post-season was gradually arriving, the hits the group got had been increasing. The fact that this one post got thrice the attention their posts usually got made it painfully obvious that this was the match everyone was looking forward to seeing.

The finals before the finals, if you would.

Something suddenly occurred to her, and she clicked on FTU's group. Her brows furrowed slightly as she went into detective mode – because of course she wouldn't call it stalker mode – and scrolled down. Down, and down, and down. So much so that her laptop had starting lagging just a bit. Holy shit this group was the epitome of activity. Someone clearly had too much time on their hands.

Until she finally found what she was looking for. Granted, she had to sift through an ungodly amount of posts, but she finally found it. A post dated November 15th, 2015. Last year. Posted by none other than Flare Corona. Lucy very quickly assumed that was just before she did what she did to Natsu. The thought still made her stomach churn each time the pinket's words replayed in her mind. But it still didn't sit right with her. It just didn't make any sense. Thus, feeling curiosity and the need to get to the bottom of things gnawing at the back of her head, she clicked on Flare's name.

Her excitement was quickly squashed when she realized the profile was private. Great.

A frustrated breath left the blonde's mouth as she crashed against the backrest of her sofa, her eyes glaring at her laptop screen. She checked the time again; okay, half an hour was already gone and she hadn't really accomplished anything. Neither in her homework nor 'detective' work. Things still didn't sit right with her. Why would Flare do something so utterly _out of this world,_ completely randomly, and then just disappear right before her graduation? Much less with Natsu's brother, a person who was out to get him in the first place? Ends weren't meeting, and it made her bite her lower lip with some agitation.

Lucy didn't like not knowing things; it was a small part of the reason why she left her father in the first place.

Annoyed, the female grabbed her phone and punched in a text.

* * *

Natsu missed Erik.

He really, really did.

And now that he was out here in whatever supermarket this was, that certain realization became like that fiftieth annoying zit on a pubescent kid's face: the world was just so fucked up and unfair. Better go whine on Tumblr.

Like what in the fifty shades of fuck was he even supposed to be buying?

It wasn't like Natsu didn't know how to cook. He lived a good while by himself, and while nowadays he'd usually get take-out or just eat whatever Erik decided was going to be their meal for the day, he used to be self-sufficient and make his own meals. Now he realized how utterly pampered he'd become. With his cook gone he didn't know what the fuck to do anymore.

His gaze momentarily locked on instant-noodles, the temptation in his gut too real for his liking.

See what I mean? Pampered as fuck.

His shopping cart was as empty as it was when he entered the damn place about an hour ago. Holy fucking Mavis fucking Vermillion why was this being so difficult? And yes the double fucking was necessary.

You'd think making dinner would be easier than this. But nooooooo. He had to be an indecisive cuck about it.

When the hell had he grown a boy pussy? Fuck.

By the end of his pissed off mini breakdown Natsu hunched over his cart, his elbows on the bar.

 _Okay. Think, Natsu. Think._

He pulled out his phone; a good place to start would be to decide what the hell he was going to be making in the first place. He could practically _feel_ Lucy facepalming in her apartment right now, almost as though they were connected somehow. A momentary image of him drawing a dragon or whatever on himself appeared in his mind, that very same drawing appearing on Lucy's body before she sent him a half-naked picture of herself. Oh the things he would do to that booty… that was some kinky shit, he couldn't lie.

ANYWAY.

Five minutes later a rough sigh left him. He couldn't decide. It was like he'd become a woman trying to pick where to go out for lunch – the decision just didn't happen. Not fucking ever.

As such the thought process of _fuck it_ overtook the pinket as he pocketed his phone with newfound conviction. Which probably made things seem more dramatic than they actually were.

With determined eyes, Natsu formulated a new plan to follow, and pushed his cart along the aisle, looking purposefully around. He saw some cheese – he tossed it in the cart. Sausage? Tossed that in, too. Bread? Yeah, he'd probably need that. Tomatoes? Sure, why not. Oh hey, a watermelon. That shit was tasty. Tabasco sauce? Fuck yeah. _Spice is love, spice is life._ Broccoli? Fuck off and die in a fire.

Several minutes and a helluva lot of groceries later, Natsu's shopping cart was fuller than your ex on a Saturday night. He paused for a second, confused. When the fuck did it get so full? Would he even be able to pay for all of this…? Maybe? Yeah, screw it. He probably could. He had enough food here to start an underground doomsday bunker, so he'd be fine without money anyway.

Ah Walking Dead jokes. Poor Tyreese.

Man why did the black guy always have to die. That was some bullshit.

"What in God's name are you doing?"

Natsu turned over his shoulder, noticing a very confused Gray staring at him, brow raised and everything.

"The fuck does it look like I'm doing, popsicle dick? Shopping. S-H-O-P-P-I-N-G," Natsu retorted, folding his arms while giving his teammate a light glare.

"More like buying out the entire store. What the fuck are you even making?"

"You know… food… stuff?"

"Lemme guess – you just thought you'd buy whatever cause you couldn't decide on anything specific?" A short chuckle of amusement left the raven haired Shooting Guard. " _Genius_ , Natsu. Really."

"Up yours, douchenozzle," Natsu fired back, glare intensifying.

"Bite me, fire fart," Gray replied, returning the gesture.

A few moments of idiotic glaring later:

"Okay, fine. I have this dinner thing with Lucy, Erik and Kagura, and I have no idea what the fuck to make, yeah?" Natsu bit his lip, annoyed.

"Naw dude, you look like you got things pretty figured out," Gray said, a smug grin on his face as he realized where this was going.

"Don't be a dick."

"Takes one to know one."

"I'll punch you in the dick."

"What's with your fascination with dicks all of a sudden? That's gay, man."

"I really will punch you in the dick, so help me."

Gray sighed. "Alright, well, considering you already have _most_ of the stuff this store can even offer," - he noticed the odd lack of broccoli, but chose, perhaps wisely, not to say anything - "I'd say just go with a casserole?"

"That…" Natsu paused for a bit. _That might actually work, holy shit._ "A casserole of what, though?"

"Everything?" Both of them shrugged; it wasn't that difficult, right? Plus it was the easiest and seemingly best choice. As Gray said, Natsu's shopping cart was already ridiculously full of stuff no sane individual would buy in one trip to the store… unless they were actually planning to stack a doomsday shelter. Or feed a third of Africa. "Like just toss shit in there when you're cooking, I dunno."

"That sounds retarded."

"So do half the things you do, but you don't hear yourself complaining, do you?"

Natsu really was going to punch him in the dick.

And Gray was gonna have to thank Team Four Star for that.

It would definitely add to the Krillin-Owned-Counter.

DING.

Asshole.

By the time the two of them were done with shopping, they were carrying about six humongous bags of groceries each, trudging along the parking lot until they came up on Gray's old navy blue Ford Fiesta.

"You really need a new car, dude," Natsu said, opening the trunk to store the goods.

"I'll have you know this car still has quite a few miles in it, thank you very much!" Gray retorted, removing some of the books he had left riding shotgun for the pinket.

"At least you don't drive like Erik."

"This is true. And hey, you really need _a_ car."

"I _do have_ a car, okay? It's just… back _there_." A sigh left the pinket after he spoke. Why couldn't he bring the car with him when he moved to Magnolia? That would have made so many things much, much less annoying.

"So go get it. What's the problem?"

"You damn well know what the problem is." It was just awkward. Natsu didn't want to go home. He missed his uncle, he really did. But his father was a different matter altogether. And if he wanted to get his car he'd need to see him. And that was an instant deal breaker to him, no matter how you looked at it.

"Oh, hey, look. The chicks with dicks squad," Gray said through a snort as they got into the car, his eyes staring at a select few Blue Pegasus players walking along the sidewalk on the other side of the parking lot.

"How _rude_!" Natsu exclaimed humorously as he rolled down Gray's window and leaned out to sit on top of the door, the aforementioned SG only grinning as he started the car and drove up. "Hey douchebag! Your ass stop hurting after our game yet?"

"Shut your mouth, Dragneel," Hibiki growled under his breath, flipping the bird towards the passing Fiesta, Natsu and Gray doing the same in response.

"We'll use lube next time! Promise!"

"Fuck off," Ren added with a roll of his eyes.

"Yeah, yeah. See you in the playoffs, princess!"

"So," Gray began after Natsu sat back in his seat and rolled the window up, "this dinner thing. You and Erik just about ready to stop cucking each other?"

"Man," Natsu replied, feeling tired of this entire ordeal, "just don't, okay?"

"You wanna know what I think?"

"No."

"You're not wrong." Gray's statement brought a momentary sense of shock to the pinket's face as he turned to him, bewildered. Astonished, Natsu breathed out a silent _what_ at what he said, prompting a shrug out of the driver. "Not gonna lie, I would've been pissed too if my teammates suddenly stopped trusting me. Especially in… _your_ position." Despite hating himself for admitting it, Gray knew that Natsu was the x-factor in their team. The one player who could turn the tides of a game all by himself. And to suddenly be treated as everyone else… it was a good way to teach Natsu to be humble, but at the same time Gray realized that something like that would hurt, especially with a game on the line.

"Oh, hey, at least someone-"

"But what you did ain't right either," Gray interjected, interrupting him.

"Damn it, why does everybody think I want to listen to them preaching their opinions at me?" Dragneel said through an exasperated breath, slumping in his seat. "It's getting old. Yes. I know. Stealing a pass was shitty of me, okay? I get it. And I do admit it. But fuck, what was I supposed to do? Risk the game?"

"Trust your teammates, you jackass. It's amazing how you want Erik to trust you, but you won't trust his judgment. Purely amazing. Get over yourself."

"Yeah, whatever. I'm done talking about this." And to cement his being done talking about it, Natsu switched on some music. He surfed the radio channels and could only cringe when most of them played nothing but that godawful-

"DES-PA-CI-TO!"

"If you weren't driving right now I would punch you in the dick. With brass knuckles, fam. You know what, stop the car. Stop the fucking car and I'll kick your teeth in. Curbstomp you through the planet and into the moon. Where you can fucking choke on stardust. Just try to gurgle that "song" out again through a broken jaw. Try me, bitch."

Between that song and Gray's laughing post-Natsu-threat, the pinket thought he might just actually have to off himself. Make like Olenna Tyrell and take a shot of poison while letting Gray know he fucked his mom.

Thankfully there wasn't a lot of road left 'til they reached Natsu's place. And while Natsu wouldn't verbalize it, he was grateful Gray ended up being there to give him a lift. Carrying twelve elephant-sized bags of groceries home would've been a bitch. A good workout, but a bitch nonetheless.

Hah. Sex jokes.

Though he still had to carry them up several flights of stairs to reach his apartment. Gray offered to help, but Natsu declined with a polite _fuck yourself sideways_ before the duo parted, as was customary.

As soon as Natsu made it through the door, he went to work.

Ingredients went flying. Natsu very quickly emptied his bags on the floor without so much as a thought, being a bit more careful with the one he knew had eggs in it. Everything else found safe refuge on the cold tiles of his apartment's parquet floor. What he believed was necessary to what he was making ended up being kicked towards the kitchen; everything else next to their TV. He didn't have much time left, and, as such, the luxury of being sanitary went out the window.

Lucy would've probably blown a gasket if she saw this. Luckily for him that wasn't going to happen for another hour or so.

"Fuck off, cat. Fish ain't for you," Natsu hissed as he pushed a curious Happy away with his foot, the aforementioned feline biting his sock as a result. "Okay, fine. Asshole." A piece of sausage was left to the cat as a peace offering. Why was everyone so fucking needy nowadays?

So after Happy ate the food that was left for him, and almost choked himself to death after playing in an empty bag like the dumbass cat that he was, Natsu proceeded to cook all the ingredients he thought he'd need. Well, at least those that would kill them if left raw. Man that would suck. Chicken, beef, fish, whatever. Natsu didn't care. Whatever was meat – he cooked.

His phone vibrated, prompting him to pick it up. Ikaruga commented _you're my spirit animal_ to a post about cunts he shared on Facebook and Natsu aptly replied with a quick _I'll fucking end you_ before he pulled up a _how to make a casserole for dummies_ Google search result. He then proceeded to pop an energy drink he'd bought while he waited for the sizzling meatstuffs, and subsequently organized the other shit he'd need later on the floor with his foot. He quickly downed the energy drink and popped open another one, all while making a mental list of things he needed to do.

Caffeine and sugar highs simultaneously achieved, he was ready to continue.

The pinket turned to the living room; aside from the food scattered around more or less everywhere, the place was a fucking pigsty, even by his standards.

 _God…fucking…_

And so chores commenced: vacuuming, dusting, mopping, doing the dishes, pushing the kitchen table to the middle of the room, clearing out some space for four people to sit; things like that. Then Natsu's nose caught the scent of shit from the toilet and he instantly regretted giving Happy that sausage.

This cat. With its fucking indigestion issues. "I swear to fucking Mavis."

The basketball player finally wiped the sweat off of his forehead with the back of his hand when that ordeal was over and done with. He then went back into the kitchen and continued food preparations. Based on what he read on his phone, he'd need a casserole pan. They didn't have a fucking casserole pan. _Damn it_. Okay. Contingencies...

Oh! Pie pan!

He stirred the ingredients together, adding the motherlode of all motherlodes of tabasco for extra kick while he did so, and smashed the entire thing into the pie pan… only to realize the damn thing wasn't large enough as half of the stuff ended up on his kitchen counter.

 _Why is absolutely_ nothing _going my way?_

Okay. It was time to regroup and rethink this. He bought a little too much of everything, used a little too much of _that_ too much, and now he had a little too much of what was too much of too much.

 _Maybe I should've eased off on those energy drinks_ …

Fucking Monster high.

 _No, fuck that. I am a golden god._

Natsu took a step back and covered his mouth with both hands as he tried to come up with a solution. There was casserole gunk all over his kitchen counter, food or whatever draped across his apartment, cat shit in his toilet… _again,_ and a stupid fucking Happy doing his damnedest to destroy the new goddamn loveseat.

Brilliant.

He could just imagine himself edited into the KC Green dog meme where everything's burning around him and all he could say was "this is fine."

Nothing was fine, for fuck's sake!

Natsu was momentarily startled when his phone buzzed alive, " _Tienes un mensaje de texto_."

"Siri, _no_. I am not dealing with you again. Not now. Fuck off," the pinket openly snarled at his phone. Luckily the device took the hint _before_ he tried chucking it at Happy for using the furniture as a scratching post.

Natsu checked his phone; it was a text from Lucy. _How's dinner prep going?_

He looked over his apartment again.

 _HEYYEYAAEYAAAEYAEYAA,_ he replied. Don't ask why he knows the title of that He-Man video on YouTube letter for letter. That's a whole 'nother fucking story.

 _That bad?_

The Power Forward snapped a 360-panoramic picture of his current workplace conditions, and sent it to her. Once again, Natsu was convinced he could feel her holy shit-esque reaction before his phone vibrated in his hands.

 _I'm coming over. Just stop doing whatever you're… doing. Like don't even move, okay?_

After ten minutes of utter silence, his phone buzzed again.

 _OKAY?!_

 _You told me not to move,_ he punched in to reply.

 _Goddamnit Natsu._

 _Man how the fuck am I supposed to open the door for you if I can't even move._

She didn't reply.

Well that's just fucking awesome.

It didn't even take her twenty minutes to get there, and the doorbell rang, a myriad of rushed knocks following suit.

But Natsu didn't move. No siree. Like a good little boy he just stood there with his thumb up his ass. Because according to her initial statement, he wasn't doing anything wrong.

His phone rang. He picked up.

"Are you gonna open the fucking door for me so I can get in there and help you?" she asked, clearly not amused by his antics.

He scoffed. "Who says I need help? And besides, I'm just doing what you told me to do. Standing here in the middle of this horrid mess without doing a single thing. Just waiting for Erik and Kagura to get here, y'know? But wait! I won't be able to open the door for them either. Boy I hope Erik has a key."

"Shut the fuck up and open the door! You know what I meant!" A short pause followed what Natsu would call her 'cute little outburst' and then, "Asshole."

"Whoa, Luce. Language! That's not nice at all!" He grinned slyly.

"You know what? Nevermind. I'll just head back home. Thanks for the wasted cab bill. I'll just text Kagura that dinner is off. Have fun with Erik killing you after what you did to the apartment." Natsu scoffed again, unperturbed, but Lucy had one more card to play. "Or maybe I'll just tell Erza about the way you live by yourself." Okay, his face blanched after that one. "Bye!"

"WAIT!" Natsu screamed as he almost tripped over a random sausage while sprinting to the front door. "Wait, wait, wait, wait! I'm opening the door now, okay! Hold your horses!"

"Geez, finally!" Lucy said when he opened the door to meet her wrathful glare as she pocketed her phone. "You can be a real prick sometimes, you know that, right?"

"Yes! Gods almighty, yes I can and I'm sorry! Please don't call Erza, okay?!" he said, his phone still very much against his ear.

She just pushed past him and walked into the apartment.

"Mother of…"

"I know."

"What did you do?"

"Tried to make dinner?"

"You… I can't even with you right now, Natsu." Natsu watched as she started picking stuff up; he could tell she had gone into recovery mode the second she saw his mess of an apartment. "Why do you have this much sausage!?"

"You can never have enough sausage, okay?" he replied with a nonchalant shrug.

"Wait… do you feed this to Happy?!"

"More or less, yeah. He's a cat, he can eat whatever."

"You can't feed a cat only sausage!"

"There's a dick joke somewhere in there," he said, barely suppressing a childish chuckle. "Haha, in there."

Lucy's groan was enough to tell him she wasn't amused.

Things eased down a bit on home front, at least. Lucy somehow made it right, clearing his haze of a brain of all of those lists of dos and don'ts that he had made in lieu of dumb circumstances. They argued quite a bit while Lucy cleaned, Natsu pushing the point of him not being able to move just to mess with her. She, as a result, more or less indirectly told him to go fuck himself. It was amusing, he couldn't lie.

But when he did eventually try to help out, she smacked his hand away. "Go sit in a corner and think about what you've done, which is _enough_ ," she hissed, surprising him a bit.

And so he did what he was told, pulling up a chair to sit in a random corner of the room, kicking _yet another_ stray sausage out of the way as he did so. Man, he really did buy one too many sausages.

She was clearly angry with him, but Natsu couldn't help drawing some amusement out of it. And, admittedly, awe. It was such a simple thing. Well, paradoxical, too. The admiration he felt for her at that particular moment surprised him. All she was doing was the simple cleaning of an otherwise impossible-to-clean tornado of chaos (Dramatic? Maybe. But in his mind it was pretty accurate.); fighting the forces that be in this garbage dump of an arena. And Lucy was slowly, but surely, coming out on top of the pecking order.

He really should have left those cans of Monster at the store, holy shit.

Natsu's onyx orbs never left her form, though. The blonde came into his apartment wearing a thin white-leather jacket, with a bright hazel blouse underneath that left her shoulders uncovered. And fuck did those tight-fitting white jeans accentuate her curves. He felt more mesmerized with every sway of her hips.

"Can you stop staring at my ass?" she suddenly asked, giving him a light half-glare. Yet, the very slight shade of pink on her cheeks didn't escape his attention.

"It's an ass worth staring at, though," he supplied, a smirk clear as day on his face.

" _Natsu._ "

"Okay, fine!" the basketball player sighed, as dejectedly as he raised up both hands in defeat. Eventually he figured he might as well make himself useful and went to hang her jacket up in his closet. Later he came back to her and tapped her shoulder. "Listen. Come here."

"Huh? What is it?" she asked with a slight huff as she stood upright, quirking a brow when Natsu led her to his kitchen by her hand. "What-" she ultimately ended up cutting herself off when she saw the mess he'd made of the meal they were supposed to be eating.

"…yeah. The 'food' has gotten cold by now too. Probably. I don't fucking know. So how about you do that and I'll see to cleaning this shit up. Sound about right?"

Heartfilia met his gaze. "No, Natsu. _Nothing_ about this sounds right," she complained, "You were supposed to make dinner, not re-enact the Battle of the Fucking Bulge!"

"Haha. Bulge."

"Shut your face!" She poked him in his ribs with her hand, and in his face with her glare. Eventually Lucy could only sigh as her gaze softened, "Okay. Shit. Okay! You better have fucking mixed the right ingredients."

"Oh I sure as hell did!" Natsu grinned.

"Is that…" Lucy picked up an empty bottle of tabasco sauce, "how much of this stuff did you use?"

" _Not enough,_ " was the reply she should've expected to get. She shook her head; _if_ they managed to clean this up and actually finish preparing dinner, then the dinner itself was going to kill them. Splendid.

Despite the hazardous obstacles before them, the two of them moved in tandem; Natsu cleaned his place up while Lucy tried to fix whatever shit he had done to their soon-to-be dinner. It took them about half an hour to get everything sorted as Lucy smashed the remainders of their casserole together and separated it into two pans since there was still way too much of the stuff left after the domestic disaster that was his attempt at cooking. Before baking, to top the meal off with some crunchiness, Lucy – upon Natsu's insistence – added some crunched up hot red Cheetos before she popped everything in the oven.

The blonde sighed tiredly, "How is this even working right now?"

"Beats me," Natsu admitted as he handed her a glass of water, "but you sure were a lifesaver."

"No thanks to you, Mr. _I didn't need any help_." She glared at him again as she accepted the offering.

"Call it a momentary lapse of judgment, okay?"

"And the possession of a less than flattering ego."

"Ouch."

"You deserved that one."

"Touché."

A tired breath left the female's lips as she fell back on one of the barstools of their kitchen. As she indulged in the cold water the pinket had provided, she turned back to inspect what was left of his room. And boy did she almost choke at the sight she saw which, admittedly, she was too busy with the food before to notice. The living room was fucking _sparkling_. Like, honest to Gods sparkling.

"What… _magic_ is this?" she asked, clearly astonished.

"I call it the _ass on fire_ technique," Natsu replied, flashing her a toothy grin.

"Wha-" she stumbled on her own words, still very much shocked. The food was no longer… everywhere, but rather neatly organized in the kitchen cupboards. How he managed that without her noticing was beyond her.

And if she asked Natsu's reply would be simple.

Nin-nin motherfuckers.

The floor was sparkling, so much so that Lucy reckoned she could see her own reflection in the parquet tiles. No more dust, no more random shit lying around everywhere, and the stench of cat excrement was gone, replaced by a scent reminiscent of blackberry clove. She didn't even need to ask, she realized, after she noticed the myriad of car air fresheners stuck inside their AC.

That was actually pretty smart, she had to hand it to him.

Now that there wasn't an avalanche of chaos above their heads threatening to crush them with its utter ridiculousness, Lucy realized that his apartment was totally different from what it used to be. The old furniture was gone, old wallpapers replaced, new floorboards, curtains… _everything_ was different. The walls were a vivid hazelnut, light sea-salt hardwood parquet, white-gray-ish sofas, two complimentary armchairs, all surrounding a medium-sized living room table with a brand new yet scratched up loveseat at the helm… a loveseat which Happy had somehow developed a liking to as the feline had been occupying it ever since Lucy came through the door.

"Wow," she commented, somewhat amazed. "When did you guys renovate? It's like a totally different place now."

A sheepish, almost shameful rumble of a chuckle came from Natsu's throat as he scratched the back of his head. "Well…" He began, his eyes turning away to avoid eye-contact with her. "After Tenrou the place was kind of trashed. Unlivable, honestly," he explained, and it didn't take Lucy long to connect the dots.

That night when Natsu… well. She was on the phone with Kagura a couple of days after that. She mentioned something about Erik looking for new furniture and other stuff. Like that overly large sixty-inch TV and those speakers Gods only knew were going to get them into a lot of trouble with the neighbors.

Wait. Lucy's hazel eyes momentarily locked on the living room table. Was that…? Holy shit, it was the very same table she told Kagura she liked.

She turned to Natsu while pointing at the wooden piece of furniture, "Is that…?"

"Yeah," he confirmed with a nod, a small smile making his lips twitch upwards as he moved to the kitchen counter.

She smiled, "Why'd you pick it?"

"Heard you liked it."

His blunt honesty only made her smile widen. Lucy had to turn away for a second, just to make sure she didn't blush. She was not giving him any more points in their stupid little game.

She stood up from the stool a little too quickly, trying her best to hide her previous reaction as she extended her arms up and stretched, a satisfied moan dancing on her tongue, "I'm beat. Do you have any coffee?"

Natsu noticed something was up, but chose to stay quiet… for the time being. He snorted at the question as he was cleaning up several of the utensils Lucy used to salvage their meal, "What kind of question is that? Top cupboard on the left."

About three seconds later Natsu's eyes widened. _Shit_. He knew he shoved too much shit in there. But when he was looking for a place to store all this crap he bought, he didn't really care. Now, however, that decision was about to bite him in the ass.

He moved fast. As fast as he could, really. But it was too late. Lucy was already there, about to open the door to utter chaos. _Again_.

Before either of them could really do anything, they were covered from head to toe in flour, coffee beans, salt, sugar, and some other shit Natsu couldn't bother trying to name when stuff came crashing down.

 _Definitely not sugar, spice and everything nice. Powerpuff fucks._

"What…. The _fuck_?!" Lucy exclaimed with anger and shock, stomping her foot on the ground to emphasize how pissed off she was. She glared up at the significantly taller pink-haired basketball player who had the most confused expression on his face. It looked like he was searching for what to say. She could tell. She could just fucking tell, okay? And when his usual smug smirk started forming on his lips, she knew a perverse comment _or five_ were going to surface very, very fucking quickly.

She'd have none of that.

Without accepting so much as a peep from the pinket Lucy pooled flour from the kitchen counter into both hands and blew it right in his face.

"Screw you," she said.

Natsu blinked once. Twice. Thrice. _What the- did she just- huh?_ He blew a sticky hair out of his face, looking dumbfounded. When the reality of the situation finally kickstarted his brain, the pinket scowled.

Time to _really_ reenact the Battle of the _Fucking_ Bulge.

His hands moved faster than the receptors in his brain could possibly compete. He collected a large amount of flour and tossed it towards her, creating a mystifying smoke of white to coat the inside of his kitchen. Natsu acted fast when Lucy threw an open packet of salt his way, ducking before he rolled into the living room to avoid another packet of sugar which came after Lucy's scream of utter wrath.

Fuck. He was in for it now.

Shit went flying. Everywhere. And Natsu realized that the place would need to be cleaned up _for the third fucking time_ in just about two hours. What the fuck was life?

The timer on their food dinged, signifying that there were about twenty minutes left. All while the myriad of different edibles were being used like cannonballs, crashing left and right. Really all that was left missing now was a tranquil symphonic piece of music. Yeah. Moonlight Sonata playing in the background would've been like icing on the fucking cake.

Natsu's face turned comical for a second when Lucy threw a sausage his way.

 _Big mistake_.

He caught the piece of meat and took up the stance of a warrior. Honestly he'd been playing _For Honor_ way too much lately. Several other foodstuffs were sent crashing into him, yet he masterfully swatted them away with his would-be meaty sword.

Haha. More dick jokes.

Turning his body sideways, Natsu locked one hand behind his back while the other held the long sausage at an en garde position, motioning for the blonde to come at him.

He wished he could make a 'come on' sign with fire on the tips of his fingers. He really did. Just because he was a fucking golden god, okay? Okay.

But man, he ended up regretting the decision of challenging her. Not because he couldn't handle it. Hell no. But because of the repercussions that undoubtedly followed such a challenge. _Everything_ that he had poured his own blood, sweat and tears into to store in his kitchen cabinets ended up being used as projectiles against him. Tomatoes, cucumbers, potatoes, bananas, all sorts of berries, olives, a bottle of fucking ketchup and even tabasco! _Nothing_ was safe from Lucy, and all of it was thrown right at him, only to be swatted away with his sausage-y sword.

Shit, his living room now looked even worse than it did before.

Seriously. What the fuck was life?

If you asked Natsu, he'd simply say _HEYYEYAAEYAAAEYAEYAA._

After all of her ammunition was expunged, Lucy turned to close-quarters combat. Dual-wielding two cucumbers that were lengthy enough to make a plethora of potential jokes swim within Natsu's mind, the blonde rushed at him with a battle screech. He grit his teeth as he gripped his sausage (oh God) with both hands and attempted a parry, only barely being able to keep ahold of his meaty stick of life (Mavis, please help).

The end of Lucy's terrifying rampage came suddenly, though. And it was very dangerously abrupt. The blonde somehow managed to trip over a random potato and would've ended up on her ass had Natsu not noticed it happen before it did. He dropped his weapon of choice and darted forward. Arms enveloping her, Natsu managed to somehow twist mid-movement so she ended up on top of him, oxygen forcefully leaving his lungs when his back hit the floor.

He was just glad nothing was underneath him when he crashed. That would've sucked.

So as was customary Natsu ended up lying on the ground with a very flustered Lucy straddling him, her legs against either of his thighs. Instead of recoiling from him, though, she let a breath escape her as she fell on his chest. She was so, so tired. Exhausted even. Especially when the thought of cleaning this shit up crossed her mind. And Natsu could easily feel that.

A short and quiet laugh left him as he let one hand rest on her lower back while the other stroked her messy flour-covered hair.

"You alright?" he asked, his lips turning up in a small smile as she buried her face into the crook of his neck.

"Shut up…" she croaked out, feeling done with this entire ordeal. After a few key moments of enjoying their particular position, both of them looked around the mess they'd made.

" _Man_ ," Natsu complained aloud, yet decidedly kept any further arguments from being verbalized.

The blonde inspected their current situation, then turned to make eye-contact with him, "How about teaching me that _ass on fire_ technique?"

Natsu hummed, "Think I'll have to." He then grinned. "But let's agree to title it _dat ass on fire_."

Lucy could only sigh as she playfully poked him in the ribs, trying her best to suppress a smile.

By the time Erik and Kagura knocked on the door everything was already clear… _again_. Though the duo of Natsu and Lucy had to sweat for it. A lot. Natsu had given the blonde some of his clothes to change into since hers smelled like the shitty kebab place down the street after everything was said and done.

So as Lucy opened the front door for them, Erik couldn't help but raise a brow at what she was wearing. Dark grey Adidas sweatpants which she rolled up mid-calf, and a yellow Sum 41 T-shirt, both items of clothing large to the point that they were almost too loose on her.

What the hell had these two been doing?

Several… _interesting_ thoughts prickled at his mind, yet he didn't voice them. The only indicator of those thoughts was a wry smirk which, admittedly, he and Kagura shared.

"Hey," Kagura greeted with a smile as she shared a quick hug with the blonde. "Sorry we're late. Erik was busy with make-up."

"Uh-huh. Of course _I_ was," the redhead rolled his eyes. "We brought this. Hope it fits with the food."

When Lucy looked at the offered bottle of wine, she couldn't help but feel a tinge of hope in the back of her head. Maybe, just maybe, dinner wouldn't be too bad.

Here's to hoping.

The meet and greet had gone well enough. Natsu and Kagura hit it off almost as though there was nothing wrong, but with Erik…

"Yo."

"Sup."

And that was that. The air settled into a mist of awkward silence after that, but thankfully the timer on their food dinged again to let them know everything was ready. Upon Lucy's insistence everyone was seated; Natsu at the head of the table with Lucy to his right and the other couple to his left with Kagura being to his immediate side. It wasn't arranged, but the blonde appreciated it anyway.

Things were quiet. Awkwardly so. Both Kagura and Lucy tried to lighten the mood, but were met with short answers from both Erik and Natsu.

Ugh. Lucy was getting tired of how immature the both of them were being. Eventually she just thought _screw it_ and hurried everyone to dig in… without really warning them what happened with the food.

She did, admittedly, wait for everyone else to start eating before she did. You know, for self-preservative purposes.

Natsu was the first one to stick his fork into his slice of casserole. He played with it a bit before trying a few test chews. Lucy sighed with relief when she saw him smile. That meant it was good, right? At the very least edible, right?

Wrong.

Because when the remaining three people tried it… let's just say that if this was some kind of cartoon they'd be vomiting fire after trying the casserole. Of course Natsu would be fine with stuff _this_ spicy. She should've known.

"This…" Erik croaked out, a tear forming at the corner of his eye as _everything_ from his nose to his throat burned, "this is… p-pretty good!"

"Yeah…!" Kagura added before downing half of her glass of wine to wash down the heat.

Lucy felt like crying.

"Man, Luce. You've outdone yourself."

"Just shut up, Natsu…" she said while facepalming and shaking her head.

"Of course this fucking idiot will scarf all of it down," Erik commented with a shake of his head, making Lucy freeze in horror.

"Go fuck yourself, E. This is good!" Natsu shot back, giving him a sideways glare.

"You put all this spice into it, didn't you?" Erik could only groan when a nonchalant nod was the answer he got. "I should've fucking known. Your ass is going to suffer."

"I'll make your ass suffer if you don't shut your face."

"With what? That shriveled up thing you call your dick?"

"Oi _fuck_ you."

"No, fuck _you_."

Lucy could only sit in her seat, motionless and utterly dumbfounded as the two basketball players threw profanities at one another like they were in practice, tossing up shots. She turned to Kagura, who didn't seem to share the sentiment. She was resting her chin in her open palm, a bright smile on her face as she played with her food using a fork.

 _I should've expected this, I guess,_ Lucy thought before a giggle left her. Said giggle turned into a quiet laugh, drawing the attention of the two guys plus girl. Then her laugh got louder, and eventually uncontrollable, as she clutched at her sides. This time it was Natsu and Erik's turn to make eye-contact, both of them feeling utterly confused.

"Dude, you made her go bonkers," Erik concluded.

"Nuh-uh, I didn't do shit this time," Natsu defended.

"Shut the hell up, both of you," Kagura breathed out with a shake of her head and a smile. How dumb could these idiots be?

"How about we just order take-out?" the blonde finally said after regaining some form of composure, wiping a stray tear away from the corner of her eye.

"I vote sushi," the other female in the room said with a raised hand.

"Ditto," Erik agreed.

"What the hell is wrong with the casserole?"

The trio just ignored the last member of their little party.

And while they waited for their sushi, a series of conversations took place. Well, rather it was the situation where Lucy and Kagura talked about how Erik and Natsu were acting like nothing happened between them in the first place. While the girls sat at the table, they observed Natsu and Erik talking about basketball while drinking a few beers, their conversations ranging from the Russell Westbrook's MVP-victory to how annoying Gildarts' training regimes were becoming. It was honestly a sight Lucy had been missing for a good while now.

"They're… _something_ , aren't they?" Kagura commented, her smile still very much intact. "This happened once in the past too, you know."

"You mean with the way they were being immature children?"

"Oh that has never stopped." Both of the girls giggled at that. "No, Erik and Natsu got into a fight quite like this about a year ago. Didn't talk for weeks. Then it just went back to normal."

"Just like _that_?"

" _Just_ like that."

"Don't they need to… you know… talk about it?"

The violet-haired beauty shook her head, "They… well. Those two aren't wired the way normal people are. Honestly I'm not sure they were really at odds in the first place." She hummed. "Consider two children bickering over a toy before they break it and get new ones – that's them. _Very_ them."

Before either conversation could really progress any further, the doorbell rang.

"Food!" Erik exclaimed as he gave Natsu his beer to hold on to and went to pay for the sushi. Meanwhile, Kagura and Lucy decided to set up the table and couches so they could watch some random TV show while eating.

Everything seemed almost scripted. Like how it was supposed to be in the first place.

And Lucy couldn't find it in her to argue a single thing.

Several minutes later they were all indulging in some fishy goodness while Natsu picked something to watch on Netflix. Despite Erik's protests due to having already seen the show up and down about fifteen times, Natsu picked _Breaking Bad_. Because _Gatorade me, bitch_.

Also because, for the time being, this was Natsu's apartment.

Or as Natsu quoted it:

 _This is my own private domicile and I will not be harassed… bitch!_

* * *

Erik groaned; it had been a good while since he slept in his own bed. Too fucking long. He'd gotten used to Kagura's bed by this point and he had to admit: her mattress was leagues above his own. He really should've bought a new one when Natsu and he were renovating the place. Maybe then he wouldn't have shown up to half of his classes looking like Hank Moody after a bender.

He turned on his other side, eyes glazing over the violet haired female soundly asleep next to him. Passing out like a log the way she did was a goddamn talent he wished he had. How the fuck could she just comfortably sleep on a mattress as uncomfortable as this one was beyond him.

Or maybe he was just way too damn pampered.

That'd be the day.

With a quiet grunt Erik sat up and pushed his legs to the edge of his bed, feet touching the cold floor. He stood up, stretched, and went out of the room, quirking a brow when he noticed the light was still on in the living room. They had spent a rather long while watching Netflix until Kagura and he decided to call it a night and tuckered out. Natsu and Lucy had wanted to watch a few more episodes. Natsu didn't specifically say that, but him tearing up when Walt hugged Jesse was enough of an indicator.

Wuss.

Erik was sure he'd slept for at least three hours after they went to bed. Were those two idiots _seriously_ still watching the damn thing? They had a game tomorrow – today – for fuck's sake. If he- _oh._

Now that was just precious.

Erik really couldn't help the smile that overtook his drowsy features. There was no conceivable way to hide it.

And as he approached the duo hunched over on Natsu's new loveseat, he took in the sight that he'd been hoping to see for a while now.

Natsu was fast asleep, one arm stretched out along the backrest of the loveseat while the other was soundly wrapped around the significantly shorter female next to him. Lucy was huddled up to his side, nuzzling into him with her knees pulled close to her chest, leaning against his legs. The picture was made complete by a sleeping blue cat snuggled up between them. The two plus cat looked so calm. So… peaceful. Almost as though they were back to their old selves again. Hell, almost as though that stupid shit at Tenrou had never even happened in the first place.

Erik pulled out a small blanket from their living room _closet-of-immediate-necessities_ and carefully draped it around the couple. He barely had enough time to back off when Lucy stirred, claiming the blanket as theirs in her sleep. She wrapped it around herself, but graciously left just enough of it for Natsu to utilize as well… not that the guy cared. He was a natural heater 24/7. Had probably never had the common cold in his life.

And while Erik momentarily lingered on the sight, the fact that Kagura was standing in the doorway of their room, watching the sight with as much joy as he was, went completely unnoticed by him. He could only hope that this would last.

He could only hope that things were finally looking up.

Way up.

* * *

 _ **A/N#2:** Somebody asked for reference explanations. Here we go then._

 _Not really a reference but the lyrics in the beginning are from **Passing Me By** by **K.A.A.N.** Great artist. Check him out if you're into fast-paced rap with a wild flow._

 _ **Almost as though they were connected somehow:** go read **Passive Aggressive Post-Its** by **quite-a-riot**. It will all make sense then. She and I are on some kind of a fucking reference war and I fully intend to win._

 ** _Team Four Star/Krillin-Owned-Counter/DING:_** _Dragon Ball Abridged stuff. Pretty much whenever Krillin got bitch slapped his owned counter would go up. If you haven't watched it go do it now. Don't be a pleb._

 ** _Despacito:_** _D_ _on't even..._

 _ **A post about cunts:** Literally something I shared on Facebook while writing this piece of shit. It states **People offended by the C word would hear it a lot less if they didn't go around acting like such cunts,** and Ikaruga's reply was a comment I got, Natsu's reply to that was my reply. Yup._

 ** _Casserole and pan shit:_** _That was totally **quite-a-riot** 's idea. My idea was to fuck it all up._

 ** _Golden God:_** _Idfk. **quite-a-riot** 's idea._

 ** _KC Green dog meme:_** _Google that shit. You've seen it._

 _ **HEYYEYAAEYAAAEYAEYAA:** YouTube that shit. You've seen it._

 ** _Battle of the Bulge:_** _Last major German campaign thing in WWII. I've no time to be a teacher, Wikipedia that shit._

 _ **Nin-nin motherfuckers:** Yes, another **PAPI** (I love that acronym) reference. Last sentence of Chapter 22. Idgaf._

 ** _Powerpuff fucks:_** _This is not obvious only to those who didn't have a childhood. Go fucking acquaint yourself._

 ** _For Honor:_** _It's a game. Look it up._

 ** _Russell Westbrook MVP-Victory:_** _He's my favorite player, okay? I had to add him._

 ** _Gatorade me, bitch!/This is my own private domicile and I will not be harassed... bitch!:_** _This should be fucking obvious but I'll explain it anyway. Two of the best/most hilarious quotes from_ ** _Breaking Bad's Jesse Pinkman._**

 ** _Hank Moody after a bender:_** _Go watch **Californication.** Like, yesterday._

 ** _Walt hugged Jesse:_** _Another **Breaking Bad** reference. Seriously, go watch that shit._

 ** _Closet of immediate-necessities:_** _Something my friend and I had when we were living in the states. Shit saved my life tons of times. In more ways than one._

 _I might've missed something, but frankly Idgaf._

* * *

¯\\_(ツ)_/¯


End file.
